Bangladesh-Nepal

Maoists, NC stick to their guns over PM post

Kathmandu, Aug 9: After the fourth round of election failed to decide a new prime minister, the UCPN (Maoist) held consultation with its only rival to the post of Prime Minister, the Nepali Congress (NC), on Monday.
During the meeting between the top leaders of the two largest party in the Constituent Assembly (CA) held at Maoist Parliamentary Party Office in Singhadurbar this morning, the parties stuck to their previous stances over the leadership and urged each other to support their candidate in the fifth round of prime ministerial poll scheduled for August 18.
Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and NC Parliamentary Party leader Ram Chandra poudel have been vying for the prime ministerial berth.
It has been learnt that the NC laid claim to the government leadership saying that the Maoist and the UML have already led the government.
Meanwhile, the Maoists said it must be given a chance to lead the government as the main agendas of the party–the peace process and the statute drafting–remains incomplete.
However, it has been reported that the Maoists have hinted at abandoning the claim over government leadership if a national consensus is forged.
Though today’s meeting has opened up new avenues for positive dialogues between the two parties for consensus, no concrete agreement could be reached, said NC spokesperson Arjun Narsingh KC.  
Maoist Vice Chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha said it would be appropriate to form a new government under Maoist leadership. "If that does not happen, we have proposed three alternatives," he said.  
The three Maoist alternatives include formation of a new government under Dahal’s leadership, holding discussions on national issues before August 18 (if the first proposal is not acceptable) and withdrawal of candidacies of both Dahal and Poudel if an environment for formation of a national government is created.  
Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Vice Chairmen Mohan Baidya, Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, Shrestha, General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa from the Maoist and from NC, Acting President Sushil Koirala, Parliamentary Party leader Ram Chandra Poudel, General Secretary Bimalendra Nidhi, Spokesperson KC, Central Leader Krishna Prasad Sitoula, among other leaders, were present at today’s meeting.
With the parties competing for the prime ministerial post returning to dialogue,  political leaders has expressed hopes for a national consensus before the fifth round of election. www.ekantipur.com/2010/08/09/top-story/maoists-nc-stick-to-their-guns-over-pm-post/320112/

2. Gyawali accuses Maoists of political impasse
Jhapa, Aug 9: CPN-UML leader Pradeep Gyawali said on Monday that a national consensus is impossible until the UCPN (Maoist) dissociate themselves from arms and their army.
Speaking at a programme organised by Jhapa chapter of Press Chautari Nepal today, he said the current difficult situation was a result of the Maoist activities.
He claimed that UML is making efforts to bail the country out of the current deadlock and to forge national consensus by remaining neutral in the prime ministerial election.
“Peace and constitution writing are not possible until four major political powers come together,” said Gyawali. “It is necessary to have unity among the three major political parties and the Madeshi parties. That’s how the present political impasse can be ended,” he said.
Gyawali also said instability is growing as the parliament has not been able to elect a new prime minister even after four rounds of election. He said the future of the republic will be at risk if the new prime minister is not elected immediately.
Hinting that the UML may support the NC candidate in the prime ministerial election, he said the party can not support the Maoists at any cost and it cannot sever ties from the democratic alliance.
He said the UML central committee meeting to be held within a few days may take a decision on the prime ministerial election.
He said withdrawal of the candidacies of both candidates for the prime minister’s post could be a new alternative to form a national consensus government. http://www.ekantipur.com/2010/08/09/national/gyawali-accuses-maoists-of-political-impasse/320125/

3.  Narayan Kaji attributes impasse to intervention
Kathmandu, Aug 9: UCPN (Maoist) Vice Chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha said on Sunday that the political parties have failed to form a government due to foreign intervention.
Speaking at a programme organised by the Association of Nepalese Indigenous Journalists in the Capital, Shrestha said the political parties are gradually losing their power of taking decision on vital issues of the country on their own because of their tendency to rely more on foreign power than on the strength of their own people.
Shrestha said his party is soon calling the Indian Ambassador to inquire about the alleged death threat issued by an embassy official to its lawmaker Ram Kumar Sharma. Following Friday’s prime ministerial run-off polls, Sharma had claimed that he received death threats from an Indian Embassy official for “lobbying” for the Maoists. The Maoist party is preparing to call the Indian Ambassador for response on Monday.
Speaking at the programme, CA Chairman Subas Nembang said unity among political parties is crucial to mitigate foreign intervention. “I have drawn attention of the prime minister and the home minister to ensure security of lawmaker Sharma,” said Nembang.http://www.ekantipur.com/2010/08/09/capital/narayan-kaji-attributes-impasse-to-intervention/320092/

4. Maoists seek clarifications from Indian embassy
Kathmandu, Aug 9:   The UCPN (Maoist) has dispatched an official letter to the Indian embassy in Kathmandu demanding clarification from the latter over the alleged threats to Maoist central member and lawmaker Ram Kumar Sharma.
Maoist Secretary CP Gajurel informed that the party will submit a memorandum to the Indian embassy after receiving reply of the letter from the embassy. He added that the party will demand an apology from the official and the embassy or urge the Indian government to call him back to India in the memorandum.
Earlier on Friday, Sharma, who deserted the Tarai Madhesh Loktantrik Party (TMLP) and joined the Maoist, had claimed that he was threatened by an official at the Indian embassy over the ongoing prime ministerial election.
 He has been claiming that the official at the consular section had called him for four times and issued death threats and also warned to expel his daughter from Kendriya Vidhyalaya run by Indian embassy. http://www.ekantipur.com/2010/08/09/top-story/maoists-seek-clarifications-from-indian-embassy/320122/

5.  Lawmaker Sharma seeks govt security
Kathmandu, Aug 9: UCPN (Maoist) lawmaker Ram Kumar Sharma on Sunday requested Speaker Subas Nembang to direct the government to arrange for his security.
The Maoist lawmaker met the Speaker and submitted an application demanding that the government take action against an Indian Embassy consular who allegedly threatened him on Friday.
Sharma’s decision comes a day after the UCPN (Maoist) decided to seek an explanation from the Indian Embassy on the incident.
The Maoist lawmaker has accused a consular of the embassy of issuing “death threats” over the telephone and threatening to expel his daughter, studying in Kendriya Bidhyalaya, a school run by the Indian government in Kathmandu, from the school. The Indian Embassy has said the allegation is baseless and “irresponsible.”
“This threat is not targeted to a lawmaker, but is an attack against sovereign Nepali nationalism,” states the application sent to the Speaker. “I telephoned Home Minister Bhim Rawal asking him to make necessary arrangements for his security after receiving the request,” Nembang said. He said he also asked the Prime Minister’s Office to investigate the incident through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Following the Speaker’s initiative, Sharma met Rawal on Sunday afternoon.
CA membership at risk
Lawmaker Sharma’s CA membership is at risk following the decision of his former party, the Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party (TMLP), to take action against him. Before the fourth round of prime ministerial election on Friday, the TMLP had sent a letter to Sharma asking him to clarify why his CA membership should not be scrapped for defecting the party.
Sharma, former Joint Secretary of TMLP was elected from Mohattari-4 in the CA elections. He joined the Maoist party in August 2009.
Sharma said the TMLP’s plan to scrap his CA membership a year after he entered the Maoist party was a ploy. However, TMLP Spokesman Sarvendra Nath Shukla said the decision has been delayed as the case related to the defection is pending in the Supreme Court.
Sharma, meanwhile, said he his considering resigning from the post of a lawmaker. “I am discussing my next move with the party leadership. I want to resign from the post and contest in the re-election,” Sharma said.
According to a source at the Parliament Secretariat, Sharma’s CA membership will be scrapped if TMLP makes a request in this regard, while a new election will be held in his constituency.http://www.ekantipur.com/2010/08/09/capital/lawmaker-sharma-seeks-govt-security/320091/

6. Over two dozen Nepalese missing in Kashmir floods
Udayapur, Aug 9:  More than two dozen Nepalese, including three from a single family, have gone missing in floods and landslides that came from the hilly region of Ladakh in India on Monday.
Three from the family of Shasidhar Aryal, of Khamunia-4, Bara, have gone missing.
They have been identified as Aryal’s wife Manju Aryal, 38, his daughter Sunita Aryal, 16, and his son Kabil Aryal, 11, he informed.
Similarly, three children—two daughters, a son—and wife of one Raghunath Panta have gone missing in the floods, Aryal added.http://www.ekantipur.com/2010/08/09/top-story/over-two-dozen-nepalese-missing-in-kashmir-floods/320113/

Sharing:

Your comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *