INTEGRATED TEAMS DETERMINED TO DISTRIBUTE Kathmandu, 21 April: Sunday’s minimum temperature is expected to hover around 10 degrees Celsius. Maximum temperature on a rainy day in the capital is expected to rise to 20 degrees Celsius on a cool day. Nnnn GOVT..SOME OPPOSITION PARTIES TALK SUNDAY Kathmandu, 21 April: Citing technical reasons, talks between the government and agitating political parties scheduled for Saturday have been deferred for Sunday, Republica reports.. The Interim Election Council was scheduled to hold talks with Federal Democratic Forum (FDF), an alliance of Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (MPRF), National Madhes Socialist Party (NMSP)-led by Sharat Singh Bhandari, Tamsaling Nepal Rastriya Dal (TNRD), Rastriya Janamukti Party, Khambuwan Swayatta Rajya Parishad, Janamukti Party Nepal and Nepal Shanti Samaj Party. “We will hold talks at 11 am tomorrow (Sunday) as per convenience of both sides [Interim Election Council and FDF],” said Minister for Information and Communications Madhav Poudel, who is also the government´s spokesperson. The Interim Election Council on Tuesday had invited the agitating political parties for talks following criticisms from various quarters for not initiating talks with the disgruntled parties to create environment conducive to fresh polls. The Interim Election Council had sent invitations for talks to Upendra Yadav-led FDF and Mohan Baidya-led CPN-Maoist -led alliance of various 33 fringe political parties. The Interim Election Council had also sent invitation for talks to Federal Socialist Party led by Ashok Rai, who quit the CPN-UML a few months ago. However, CPN-Maoist -led alliance has refused to sit for talks with the Interim Election Council accusing the latter of being unconstitutional. FDP has demanded dissolution of the High Level Political Committee (HLPC), which has been formed to offer political suggestions to the Interim Election Council, stating that it may influence the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections. The alliance has also demanded resignation of Chairman of Interim Election Council Khil Raj Regmi from the post of chief justice arguing that a single person cannot hold both the posts as it is against the democratic norms and values, principle of separation for power and constitutional checks and balances. Nnnn POLL ADJUSTMENT WITH UML POSSIBLE SAYS KOIALA Kathmandu, 21 April: Nepali Congress (NC) President Sushil Koirala has hinted that his party could forge electoral adjustments with the CPN-UML in the upcoming Constituent Assembly (CA) election, Raju Adhikari writes in Republica from Jhapa.. Koirala, who is currently in Jhapa in the course of participating in the party´s functions, made the remarks for the first time even as the UML in its politburo meeting earlier this week announced to forge alliance with democratic forces in the fresh election. “We became weak as we contested in the election on individual basis in the past. Now electoral adjustments could be made with the UML and other democratic forces,” Koirala said. Koirala, however, clarified that the party would not make electoral adjustments in all constituencies. There could be cooperation and adjustment in some specific areas, he said. Koirala also said that the UCPN (Maoist) as the largest party in the erstwhile Constituent Assembly (CA) was solely to be blamed for its failure to draft new statute. “The issues of cooperation and electoral adjustments have come up as democracy was weakened due to emergence of the UCPN (Maoist) as the largest party,” he said. Koirala said, “We have not yet held discussion on the issue. But such voices are being raised. There could be electoral adjustment in 10 to 12 constituencies.” Talking to local journalists, Koirala also said that the issue of electoral adjustments and cooperation will figure in the next Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting of the party. He hinted that he personally is in favor of forging electoral adjustments and alliance with other democratic forces. In the last CA election held in April, 2008, UCPN (Maoist) had stood as the as the largest party. NC was reduced to second largest party although it had remained as the largest party in all previous parliamentary elections. Koirala himself lost in the last elections. Though he did not divulge details, Koirala hinted that electoral adjustments with UML could be made for ensuring that NC´s top leaders do not lose in their constituencies. He stressed the need for forging working alliance and adjustments with other democratic forces for the larger interest of the nation, people and democracy. Inaugurating the fifth central convention of Nepal Tea Workers Association later in the day, Koirala appealed to party cadres to defeat the forces that are opposed to democracy in the upcoming elections. “The defeat of democratic forces has made the nation and the people suffer a lot,” he said. Koirala also said that preparations are under way to hold CA election by November. nnnn