Wednesday, March 20, 2013

How The FDRA Could Bring In Baidya, Yadav, Rai

English: Sketch portrait of Pushpa Kamal Dahal...
English: Sketch portrait of Pushpa Kamal Dahal, President of the communist party of Nepal-maoist Français : Pushpa Kamal Dahal, président du parti communiste népalais-maoïste Italiano: Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Presidente del partito comunista del Nepal-maoista (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The FDRA should leave no stone unturned to bring in the break away Maoist group, and Upendra Yadav's coalition and the two parties that broke away from the CPN(UML) and the NC as well fringe parties like those led by Sarita Giri.

The promise to turn Nepal into a multi-party democracy of state funded parties should bring in Baidya. A fair share of seats and a promise to form a two thirds majority government, not a simple majority government should bring in Yadav and his coalition. The same might work for the two Rais.

Already the FDRA is poised to hit 55-60%. But 60% is not enough. You need 66%. And the FDRA expanding to include Baidya, the Yadav led coalition and the two Rai led parties would suffice to bring forth a two thirds majority in the next assembly for a coalition of federalists.

Dealing With The CPN(M)
The State Of Nepali Politics: A Diagram

Ashok Rai's party to take to streets against Regmi govt
UCPN (M), 19 parties to have common manifesto
the main contentious issue of election manifesto is the issues related to Madhes. Madhes-based parties have pressed the Maoists to give priority to their agenda, while preparing the election manifesto ..... The meeting also entrusted FDRA head Pushpa Kamal Dahal to hold talks with other parties and bring them on board, forging election alliances.
चुनावमा जान नेकपा-माओवादीका पाँच सर्त
एमाले नेता झा एमाओवादीमा प्रवेश गर्ने तयारीमा
Google Fiber Expanding Superfast Internet Service to Olathe, Kansas
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How Larry Page and the Knowledge Graph helped Ray Kurzweil decide to join Google
Marissa Mayer Backlash Reveals Double Standard for Women CEOs
Elizabeth Warren: Minimum Wage Would Be $22 An Hour If It Had Kept Up With Productivity
Katie Holmes Hot On Allure Cover, Talks Having More Kids And Becoming An Attorney (PHOTOS)
Google Hosts Narendra Modi at Tech Summit
A Nitish Kumar model for India or a Modi model for Bihar?
Modi declared that the business of governments was not business. He talked of harnessing solar energy by installing panels over canals and he suggested partial privatization of that holy cow, the railways .... Presently, 11 states have the special-status tag: the seven North-eastern States, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. .... The gap between the per capita income of Bihar and the national per capita income has kept widening since 1950-51 ..... “For Bihar, acceleration of the rate of growth of around 11 percent during the Eleventh Plan to around 13 percent during the Twelfth Plan will require a massive increase in total investment (public and private)—from around 29.9% in Eleventh Plan to around 45% during the Twelfth Plan period. This has got to be financed by domestic and government savings.”
Nitish Kumar’s coalition idea
Nitish Kumar lays out a new game plan
Bihar tops in per capita income growth; Gujarat at 11
Cyberattack shakes South Korea: Could North Korea have pulled it off?
Asteroids: Senator at space-threat hearing calls for Bruce Willis
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FDRA's Awesome Move

English: Pushpa Kumar Dahal (also known as Pra...
English: Pushpa Kumar Dahal (also known as Prachanda), prime minister of Nepal, during av visit to Norway in March 2009 ‪Norsk (bokmål)‬: Pushpa Kumar Dahal (også kjent som Prachanda), Nepals statsminister, under et besøk i Norge i mars 2009 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
To contest with one candidate everywhere is awesome. This will bring about a victory to the federalism cause. The FDRA should go one step further and bring in many other federalist parties under the FDRA tent. Upendra Yadav, Sharad Singh, Sarita Giri, Ashok Rai, Gopal Rai come to mind.

FDRA to go to polls with single manifesto
common manifesto, common candidates and a common agenda. .... FDRA leaders have been arguing that the alliance is a new force favoring federal states based on ethnic identity. ..... The meeting on Tuesday also decided to expand the FDRA in all districts. It will decide through consensus which alliance party will head the alliance in which district.
प्रमुख दलहरु 'चुनावी मैदानमा होमिदै'
Every political party in Nepal has sought support from intelligence agencies in India, the US and Europe: Prof. SD Muni
It’s a hobbyhorse in Nepal to go on beating about RAW and intelligence agencies. Yes, RAW and intelligence agencies are there. They work. They sometimes work correctly, sometimes incorrectly, sometimes they vitiate the problem, sometimes they are unable to do anything. You can’t peg all your decision making, all your developments in Nepal just on intelligence agencies. That shows the level of understanding of the Indian political system. Tell me actually how many Nepalese are understanding or reading or studying the Indian political system how it works? Intelligence agencies are not the only factor, only force in the political system.
Regmi takes oath as poll govt head amid protests
Yadav's front protests reduction of PR seats
No polls by June if preparations delayed: EC
Parties still hold all the power: Bhattarai
Muslims' rights are a far cry in Nepal
Their literacy rate and human development index is lesser than Dalits and people from backward districts in the Karnali region. ..... Muslim women have their distinct identity in terms of religion, ethnicity, culture and rituals and they have been facing triple discrimination –first, in terms of being women; second, in terms of being Muslim; and thirdly, being discriminated against among Muslims for being Muslim women. .... there are really good provisions in the Quran relating to Muslim daughters/women. It says both sons and daughters be given education or trained equally; if it’s not done, it is a sin. .... Muslims are found in most of the 75 districts of Nepal even though they are concentrated mainly in Tarai and western hill districts. ..... Muslims form the largest single population groups in five Tarai districts - Banke, Rautahat, Kapilbastu, Parsa and Bara. .... Muslims form the single largest group in five other districts - Dhausha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Sunsari and Siraha. ..... Muslims are worse off than other groups especially in health indicators such as antenatal care, total fertility rates, and early childhood mortality. ..... Nepali Muslims are mostly Sunni but a small minority is Shia .... 96 per cent of Nepal’s Muslims live in Tarai. ..... despite the fact that Muslims commonly refer to verses from the Quran and Sunna such as ‘Seek knowledge from cradle to grave’ and ‘Every Muslim boy or girl should pursue his or her education as far as possible.’ ..... the national level political parties continue to treat Muslims as token representatives. While most of these national parties have formed Muslim Fronts as their parties’ sister organizations, the lack of representation of Muslims in the central committees indicates that the gesture of creating the Muslim Fronts is to only exploit the Muslim vote bank.
The symbolic of disorder
Hegemony works because its subjects accept it not just willingly but enthusiastically. ..... for the BCN ‘patriots,’ Binod will forever be a Marwari who manipulated his way to the top. The billionaire’s achievements then become the cause of jealousy and resentment rather than admiration and inspiration. ..... The most happening place in Bhairahawa, the gateway to Lumbini, is the Devkota Chowk. ..... Awadhis try their best to impress officers manning outposts of the state in the frontier district by speaking in Nepali and repeatedly fail to properly express themselves. ..... It was King Mahendra who killed the diversity of the country and sapped the creativity of the countryside with his one-language, one-culture, one-religion and one-dress formula. ..... Macaulay manufactured the Brown Englishman and enchained the Indian mind for a long time to come. ..... Mahendrism has produced Nationalist Madheshis who refuse to realize that they would perhaps be better Nepalis by being what they are rather than wasting their energy in becoming what they can never authentically be. ..... Despite the wave of the Madhesh Uprising, voters of Kapilvastu sent Dip Kumar Upadhyaya (Lamichhane?) to the dissolved Constituent Assembly where he spent more time running down Madheshi aspirations for federalism and inclusion than in protecting, let alone promoting, their interests. ..... An influential section of Madheshis has been conditioned to accept their humiliation (“the enforced lowering of a person or group, a process of subjugation that damages or strips away their pride, honor or dignity”) as normal and are frightened to emerge out of the mainstream mask. Recognition of difference is perhaps the point of departure for empowerment.
Dahal-Bhattarai rift persists
I will quit in three days: PM
E/J for PM?
SC seeks another clarification on CJ-led govt

Binod Chaudhary enlisted in Forbes' global billionaires list
Fifty-seven-year-old Chaudhary, who skipped college to join family business at the age of 18, is listed as 1,342nd richest person in the world and has been termed as the richest person in Nepal ..... Chaudhary shares his global billionaire ranking with 84 other individuals who have also been ranked 1,342nd richest people on the Earth. ..... “Chaudhary is Nepal´s first billionaire but built most of his fortune overseas,” the Forbes said on its website. “His Cinnovation/Chaudhary Group, owns among much else, popular instant noodle brand Wai Wai, a controlling stake in Nepal´s Nabil Bank and a string of luxury hotels with India´s Taj hotel chain.”
Chances of CJ-led govt slim: Koirala
CJ-led govt within two days: PM
Gupta files contempt of court case against PM, DPM
Veep-led govt demanded
Paras starts communicating, taking water sips
CPN-Maoist to boycott election under CJ-led govt: Gajurel

Step in right direction
The Burma Road

Rahul Gandhi initiates transparency in Congress, trying to understand organisational problems
Taskforce proposes 11-member neutral cabinet under CJ

Parties closer to deal on poll govt
FDRA partners mull severing ties with Maoist
Citizenship for Madhesi: A matter of state headache or of right and justice
CJ-led govt India's brainchild: CPN-Maoist
Overwhelming majority against CJ-led govt
UML top brass ready for CJ-headed govt

'विकल्पमा छलफल गर्न सकिन्छ'
गगन थापासंग-13.02.13

PM tells ministers to be ready to quit
Entire Madhes, single province unacceptable

Nitish Kumar boasts of impressive 20% increase in state’s plan size
Thai queen's offer of 100kg gold to build Buddhist dome raises security fears for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar
No Body Can Dance like Prabhu Deva
Takes two to make or break an alliance: Yashwant Sinha to Nitish Kumar
Nitish's Bihar overtakes Modi's Gujarat as fastest growing state in the country
In a huge turnaround, Bihar has emerged as the fastest growing state in the country with figure of 10.9 per cent, overtaking Gujarat whose growth has dipped. ..... Gujarat was the fastest growing state between 2001 and 2005 with figure of 11 per cent. But during 2006 and 2010, its growth dipped to 9.3 per cent and was overtaken by Bihar and four other states -- Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Maharashtra and Orissa. .... Chhattisgarh grew from 7.7 per cent in 2001-05 to 10 per cent growth, Haryana grew from 8.4 per cent to 9.7 per cent, Maharashtra from 8.2 per cent to 9.6 per cent and Orissa from 7.8 per cent to 9.4 per cent. .... Average GDP growth of top five states was 9.10 per cent in 11th five year plan, up from 7 per cent in 10th plan and 5 per cent in 9th plan. .... Bottom five states also saw a significant average growth, with figures of 8.58 per cent in 11th plan as compared to 6.76 per cent in 10th plan and 4.12 per cent in 9th plan. ..... The period between 2004-05 and 2011-12 also saw an average increase of 300 per cent in consumption in rural areas, bridging the big divide witnessed in the earlier five-year period and highlighting the inclusive growth. ..... In the 12th plan period, the Centre is set to increase its assistance substantially over the previous period for various programmes..... Among them, Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) is going to be the biggest beneficiary with Rs.1,08,503 crore, marking around 396 per cent increase...... For National Health Mission, the increase in allocation will be 278 per cent from Rs.66,127 crore in 11th plan to Rs.250,000 crore in the 12th plan.
Didn't ask BJP to announce PM candidate in advance, clarifies Nitish Kumar


Rahul Gandhi steps up 2014 poll plan
The states where the Congress is looking for alliances in the run-up to the next Lok Sabha elections scheduled in 2014 are Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and some northeastern states. .... The Congress has been out of power in major states of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for decades, while it broke up its alliance with the Trinamool Congress at the centre and in West Bengal last year...... Among the 12-odd states where the Congress rules, only Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Assam are major. In Maharashtra, it is in an uneasy coalition with the Nationalist Congress Party.
People proposing me for PM not my well-wishers, says Nitish
The JD-U is the second-largest party in the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA)..... Last year, Panchayati Raj and Rural Works Minister Bhim Singh had triggered a controversy when he asked the BJP to declare Nitish Kumar as the NDA's prime ministerial nominee.
Pained at my name being floated for PM candidate: Nitish Kumar
Singh was also quoted as saying that more often than not the bridegroom never says that he is ready for marriage, in an apparent reference to Kumar's eligibility to be projected as the prime ministerial candidate by the NDA.
Nitish Kumar wants BJP to name PM nominee, later denies saying so
On August 16, last year, he had denied having given any interview to a magazine saying he will break his alliance with BJP if Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi is made its PM candidate in the 2014 polls. .... Jethmalani has said Modi is the best candidate and that he is "impeccably secular".
Gachchhadar rejects CJ for PM

Prez should endorse poll-related ordinances: SP
Mahato said the national consensus government should be formed under the leadership of an independent person..... the Madhes-based party has also decided to expand its organizations in all the 75 districts within next three months to accommodate leaders from all communities in the party.
Opposition agitation sans key agendas‚ says Madhesi leader
Nitish agrees with Anna that JP dreams remain unfulfilled
Missing Bisweshwor
Skyping dough
A tale of two Davoses
The World Economic Forum in Davos: Leaders without followers
Why the big gap between trust in leaders and the institutions they lead? Edelman suggests that leaders have been slow to adapt to the requirements of a world in which top down is no longer the best way to lead, or in many cases even a viable one. Suffice it to say, there is nothing more top down than trying to lead the world from high up a mountain.
Islam and science: The road to renewal
In 2005 Harvard University produced more scientific papers than 17 Arabic-speaking countries combined. The world’s 1.6 billion Muslims have produced only two Nobel laureates in chemistry and physics. Both moved to the West: the only living one, the chemist Ahmed Hassan Zewail, is at the California Institute of Technology. By contrast Jews, outnumbered 100 to one by Muslims, have won 79. The 57 countries in the Organisation of the Islamic Conference spend a puny 0.81% of GDP on research and development, about a third of the world average. America, which has the world’s biggest science budget, spends 2.9%; Israel lavishes 4.4%..... A Muslim scientific awakening is under way. And the roots of scientific backwardness lie not with religious leaders, but with secular rulers, who are as stingy with cash as they are lavish with controls over independent thought. ..... Between the eighth and the 13th centuries, while Europe stumbled through the dark ages, science thrived in Muslim lands. The Abbasid caliphs showered money on learning. The 11th century “Canon of Medicine” by Avicenna (pictured, with modern equipment he would have relished) was a standard medical text in Europe for hundreds of years. In the ninth century Muhammad al-Khwarizmi laid down the principles of algebra, a word derived from the name of his book, “Kitab al-Jabr”. Al-Hasan Ibn al-Haytham transformed the study of light and optics. Abu Raihan al-Biruni, a Persian, calculated the earth’s circumference to within 1%. And Muslim scholars did much to preserve the intellectual heritage of ancient Greece; centuries later it helped spark Europe’s scientific revolution. ....... Accurately calculating the beginning of Ramadan (determined by the sighting of the new moon) motivated astronomers. The Hadith (the sayings of Muhammad) exhort believers to seek knowledge, “even as far as China”. ..... Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, which opened in 2009, has a $20 billion endowment that even rich American universities would envy. .... The rulers of neighbouring Qatar are bumping up research spending from 0.8% to a planned 2.8% of GDP: depending on growth, that could reach $5 billion a year. Research spending in Turkey increased by over 10% each year between 2005 and 2010, by which year its cash outlays were twice Norway’s. ..... In the 2000 to 2009 period Turkey’s output of scientific papers rose from barely 5,000 to 22,000; with less cash, Iran’s went up 1,300, to nearly 15,000. Quantity does not imply quality, but the papers are getting better, too. Scientific journals, and not just the few based in the Islamic world, are citing these papers more frequently. A study in 2011 by Thomson Reuters, an information firm, shows that in the early 1990s other publishers cited scientific papers from Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey (the most prolific Muslim countries) four times less often than the global average. By 2009 it was only half as often. In the category of best-regarded mathematics papers, Iran now performs well above average, with 1.7% of its papers among the most-cited 1%, with Egypt and Saudi Arabia also doing well. Turkey scores highly on engineering. ..... Many Muslims are troubled by the notion that humans share a common ancestor with apes. ..... fewer than 20% in Indonesia, Malaysia or Pakistan believed in Darwin’s theories. In Egypt it was just 8%. ..... Theodosius Dobzhansky, one of the founders of genetics, saying that “nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution”. Science describes how things change; Islam, in a larger sense, explains why, she says. ...... according to Islam, the soul does not enter the fetus until between 40 and 120 days after conception—so scientists at the Royan Institute in Iran are able to carry out stem-cell research without attracting censure. ..... Muhammad Morsi, Egypt’s president, is a former professor of engineering at Zagazig University, near Cairo. He has a PhD in materials science from the University of Southern California (his dissertation was entitled “High-Temperature Electrical Conductivity and Defect Structure of Donor-Doped Al2O{-3}”). ..... The political storms shaking the Middle East could promote not only democracy, but revive scientific freethinking, too.


Kevin Spacey Does An Incredible Impression Of Al Pacino — To His Face



Israel's Strike On Syria Was A Brilliant Tactical Move
"Syria is in such a bad state right now that an Israeli retaliation to a Syrian action would be harsh and could topple the regime," Moshe Maoz, a professor emeritus at Hebrew University who specializes in Syria, told AP. "Therefore Syria is not responding."
The Military's Deadliest Sniper Ever Was Just Shot Point Blank Right Here At Home
Interview With Hillary Clinton
Backstage Glimpses of Clinton as Dogged Diplomat, Win or Lose
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Saturday, February 02, 2013

The Former Chief Justice Would Be Least Controversial


The president should go ahead and appoint him. But polls can not be taken to November. They have to be conducted by June.

Ram Baran Yadav Should Go For It
Former Chief Justice Ram Prasad Shrestha
A Non Political PM?
A Non Political Cabinet Of Technocrats



Now or never: Dahal to opposition parties
Nepalis can now get foreign loans of up to $200,000
Read Shah Rukh Khan's article which appeared in Outlook Turning Points 2013
Bollywood's Shah Rukh Khan in spat over Muslim remarks

WorldLink introduces faster Internet

Dahal says his party ready for sacrifice
UCPN (Maoist) concludes district-level convention in 50 districts

Prez renews consultations with major parties
UDMF forms taskforce for people's mobilization
रामशरण महतसंग-23.01.13

Nepal risks being blacklisted: US envoy
UDMF no to alliance with UCPN (Maoist) for polls
Oppn parties unveil protest plans in valley

UCPN (Maoist) GC: Dahal's quest for regaining past strength
Watch your mouth, Koirala tells Dahal
NSU asks NC to hold GC in April
Jha assures resumption of closed factories
जसको नेतृत्व पनि स्वीकार्य: दाहाल
कांग्रेससहित ५३ दलले आयव्यय विवरण लुकाए
मैले प्रधानमन्त्री बन्छु भनेर ठट्टा गरेको : दाहाल

Businesses stunned as ruling party launches extortion drive
The business community has long demanded that donation campaigns launched by political parties be governed by law, with a cap on donation amount.
Clash looms as Maoists, oppn gear up for show of strength in Dailekh
NC won't bow to Maoist threats: Koirala

UDMF divided over continuing in govt

Dahal lays claim to PM post
Dahal hatching conspiracy to become PM
भट्टराईकै सामू दाहालले भने, 'प्रधानमन्त्री हुन तयार छु'

अध्यादेशको औचित्य छैन: संविधानविद्
दलहरुबीच सहमति भएर चुनावी सरकार बने धारा १५८ को बाधा अड्काउ फुकाउ प्रयोग गरि अड्किएका सवै विषयको गाँठो एकैपटक फुकाउने आफ्नो योजना रहेको राष्ट्रपतिले आफू निकटहरुसँग बताउने गरेका छन्। .... संविधानमा सन्तुष्ट भएमा राष्ट्रपतिले अध्यादेश जारी गर्न सक्ने उल्लेख छ।
Maoists ready for utmost flexibility over polls: Dahal
Bhattarai maintained that opposition parties were fearful of fresh elections and lambasted them for seeking power without winning elections. "There is no history in any country of an opposition party being handed the government leadership without holding elections," he added. He vowed to hold elections in May at any cost.
TRC to address cases related to insurgency: Minister Pun
an ordinance related to formation of TRC which is pending at the president’s office. .... around 32 countries have already formed TRC
DPM for law that bans protests at industries
increasing incidents of extortion in the pretext of raising funds for political parties have threatened the business community.
China becomes Nepal's fourth largest importer
more than 250 percent rise in exports to the northern neighbor..... massive commercialization of medicinal herbs farming in western parts of the country, sharp rise in demand for medicinal herbs, and hide and skins from mainland China .... China emerged as the fourth largest export market for Nepal after India, the USA and Bangladesh over first five months of 2012/13. ..... Yarshagumba is the major medicinal herb exported to China .... China´s liberal trade policy and positive impact of trade fairs between the two countries helped boost Nepal´s trade with the world´s second largest economy. .... Top five exports to China Medicinal herbs (+478%) Animal Hide and skin (+376%) Wheat flour by (+203%) Metal statutes by (+406%) Carpet by (+479%)
US interest in CPN-Maoist increases: Baidya
"It is possible to form separate joint fronts -- nationalist and federalist. But bringing them in one place will be a very big challenge"
Party ready for CA revival or fresh polls: Dahal
In a long and fiery speech against the opposition parties .... "Those against the decision to transform the country into a secular and federal system are trying to turn the clock back. So be prepared to fight such elements” ..... Dahal claimed that the CA was dissolved without producing the new constitution as NC and CPN-UML stood against identity-based federalism. ..... “They accepted federalism but not its essence.” ..... Dahal also accused NC and UML of betraying him and his party by not keeping their "promise to agree on the disputes in constitution writing within couple of days after the Maoists leaders would help integrate former Maoist combatants into the security agencies." ..... He claimed they [Maoists] took a bold decision to integrate the former combatants even as there was strong protest within his party. ..... "NC and UML leaders clearly said that there will be a bloodbath in the CA if the disputed issues are floated in the full House for voting," he said. He argued that the opposition parties stood against putting the issues to vote sensing that there was a two-thirds majority in favor of identity-based federalism.
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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Saturday, January 19, 2013

The FDRA's Options



Considering what the NC and the UML are doing, and what the president has been doing, what are the FDRA's options?

(1) The UCPN(M) Should Transform The CPN(M), Not The Other Way Round

Some recent comments by Prachanda can be understood in terms of him competing politically with Baidya who is further to the left than Prachanda. It is understandable that he feels the compulsion. But the solution is not Prachanda becoming more like Baidya. The solution is to attempt political fusion.

Any revival of the YCL will risk a relabeling of the Maoists as terrorists by the US. Getting rid of that label was hard work. The Maoists should not do anything to get that label back. The Maoists going back to their old ways would be the surest way to undo the 2006 revolution.

Instead there should be an agreement on people's revolt - getting people out into the streets - as a legitimate political weapon. More important, the Maoists should take a stand that Nepal has to be turned into a multi-party democracy of state funded parties. That would give Nepal a political system unlike that in India, Britain, America or China. That political fusion is the solution to the Baidya-Baburam tussle. I am surprised Baburam is not waging a more vicious ideological struggle.

(2) Maoist Unification, Madhesi Unification

The two Maoist parties should seek to unite. All Madhesi parties should become one party. That would be best for the cause of federalism. That would also be good for post constitution writing. A two party alliance of the Maoists and the Madhesis would make it possible for Baburam to do in Nepal what Nitish is doing in Bihar.

(3) Home To NC, Finance To UML

The FDRA should make it public that that is as far as it is willing to go to form an all party government. That or the FDRA would launch a mass movement to pressure the president to pass the election related ordinances.

(4) Showing The Ceremonial President His Place

The president can not actively engage in politics. That is what he has been doing. The FDRA could boycott all meetings called by the president until he passes the election related ordinances. And the FDRA should get out into the streets. Mass meetings and mass street demonstrations would be a good idea. I mean, I am sad street action has become necessary. But if that is what the anti-federalists want, that is what they should get. Street demonstrations would be enough. Prachanda does not have to talk about reviving the YCL or the parallel government. For one, such talk will likely break up the FDRA. That is a no no.

No private schools in Valley next academic session
Mayors hail Hillary Clinton for 2016
Govt appoints consultant to design social security schemes
I will transform India, Rahul Gandhi says
'No reviving people's govt, people's courts, army'
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Looks Like The Madhesi Morcha Saved The Day Again

Krishna's Birthday
Krishna's Birthday (Photo credit: izahorsky)
The Madhesi Morcha has come out saying it is opposed to CA revival. The last time the Morcha came out like this was to say Sushil Koirala was unacceptable to them as PM candidate. Both moves have saved the day. For one, this shows the Madhesi Morcha is an integral part of the FDRA that the Maoists can not take for granted. Two, both stands are sound ones.

If the only reason the CA needs to be revived is because Ram Baran Yadav will not pass Baburam's election related ordinances then that CA revival would be a pretty stupid move. The correct move would be for Ram Baran to pass the election related ordinances. And it is still not too late to do so.

Ram Baran Yadav does not seem to understand that he is no longer a Nepali Congress person. Even constitution making only asks for a two thirds majority, not a 100% majority. Consensus is to say you need a 100% majority to do anything. That is a sure formula for political paralysis, as it has been. Paralysis or Mahendra Path, aka dictatorship. In the Panchayat era consensus was easy. Whatever the king said was the consensus position. Now the NC and the UML Bahuns seem to think whatever they say has to be the consensus position.

The interim constitution has said a simple majority is enough to form a government but that two thirds majority is needed to write the constitution. And when one duly elected government no longer has parliamentary support because the parliament has gone missing, then it can only legitimately be replaced by another duly elected government. And until that time the duly elected government stays on in a caretaker capacity. That is the parliamentary democracy way.

It is not Ram Baran Yadav's place to seek consensus. It is not even Prachanda's place to seek consensus. Both of them have gone outside the bounds of the interim constitution to try to seek so-called consensus. Baburam was never under any legal, constitutional obligation to form an all party government for election purposes. But that he made such political attempts is generous of him. Offering the Home Ministry to the Congress and the Finance Ministry to the UML in an all party government is as far as the Baburam government ever needed to go. Anything more than that is willful, unnecessary capitulation. And since the Congress and the UML rebuffed the offer for the world to see that is an added reason why Ram Baran needs to pass the election related ordinances without delay.

Ram Baran Yadav is 100% responsible for the current mess. What he has been doing is against the letter and spirit of the interim constitution and the peace process.

The President's Political Illiteracy
NC, UML Being Unreasonable
The President Must Pass Election Related Ordinances
The State Of Nepali Politics: A Diagram
10 States
The Unthinking Kind
The Next President, The Next Prime Minister
The President Is 100% Responsible For The Mess
Elections In April 2013 A Must
Consensus Is Not Happening
The Polarization Is A Good Thing
The PM Resigning Would Be Weird
NC And UML At Fault
Ram Baran Yadav: Kasturi Mriga
NC And UML Do Not Have Veto Power
Dahal's Capitulation Is Wrong
Baburam Bhattarai Will Conduct Elections
Ram Baran Yadav Is Not An Executive President
The Nepali Congress Will Get Wiped Out In The Terai

Unity among Madhesi parties a must: Yadav
He said his party was flexible to a large extent, but added they could not forge the unity by taking MJF-Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav as chairman because he has been already unsuccessful and his leadership will not be acceptable. .... If unity not forged we can fight election of next CA through a front ..... Political consensus was lacking because of the anti-federalist forces, he said, adding everyone says NC and CPN-UML are anti federalist
Allow us to hold polls or tear up all accords: Dahal
UCPN (Maoist) assures int'l community of powerful TRC
Oppn parties start anti-govt protests from Dailekh
FDRA forms committee for awareness rally
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Wednesday, January 16, 2013

The President's Political Illiteracy

Sketch portrait of Ram Baran Yadav, President ...
Sketch portrait of Ram Baran Yadav, President of Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Imagine if there had been a power above the three poles in Nepali politics in 2005 - the Maoists, the Monarchists, and the Democrats - that insisted the three forces must forge consensus. Unless the Maoists and the Democrats managed to forge some kind of a consensus with the king nothing was going to change. Gladly such a power did not exist, although the US ambassador kept trying to forge an alliance between the king and the seven parties. He got it wrong. India got it right. But not even the US and India were insisting that the three forces forge consensus. Such a call for "consensus" would have been asinine and would have prolonged the sad status quo of civil war and human rights mayhem. And such a call would not have been neutral. It would have been pro king. Because the call would have brought about paralysis and maintained the king's rule.

President Ram Baran Yadav, in insisting on consensus, is 100% responsible for the political paralysis in the country today. It is not his business to seek consensus among political parties. That might have been the job of an executive president. He is not one. He is supposed to be like the Queen of England. He is supposed to be like the president of India. But instead he is like, I don't even know what he is acting like. There is no parallel. He is not being dictatorial. Because he is not trying to take over. He is acting partisan. He is behaving like a Nepali Congress person that he was before he became president. He does not seem to understand that he no longer has a political party. Even after his term is over - and it is numerically over, he has been in office for over four years now - he will not have the option to go back to being a Nepali Congress person. Just like Pranab Mukharjee in India is no longer a member of the Congress party there.

All political parties in the CA are collectively responsible for the fact that they did not deliver a constitution in two years, or even four years. All Prime Ministers that sprung out of the CA are responsible. Subhash Nembang is responsible. The president is not responsible.

It can be argued Subhash Nembang and Baburam Bhattarai are together responsible for the fact that the last CA did not make election related amendments before it expired. All parties are responsible. The president is not responsible.

CA revival takes the president out of the picture, and that's a good thing. A ceremonial president should stay ceremonial. Political activism is unbecoming of the office.

Pre-Emptive Street Action On The Part Of The Ruling Alliance Would Be A Good Idea

This is no friendly match. In many ways the struggle for federalism is more complex than the struggle to end the monarchy was in 2006. That was clear cut. This is not so clear cut. The anti-federalist forces have many options to confuse the masses. And so the ruling alliance has to go for pre-emptive street action to revive the CA. When the CA is revived, the ruling alliance should take credit. Reviving the CA will also be a challenge to the NC and the UML in that, if they want to oust Baburam Bhattarai all they have to do is bring a no confidence motion against him in that revived CA. That would be okay. Requesting presidential activism is not okay, it is outright shameful.

Maoists will take up arms: Baidya
the time for the revolt will be determined by the political situation. .... the general convention has endorsed an immediate program for bringing in a people´s federal republic, a people´s constitution and a national joint government. ..... his party would not join the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML protests. .... Baidya urged media to strike a balance over coverage of the killing of journalist Dekendra Thapa, informing that journalist Krishna Sen was also killed during the insurgency, by state forces.
President can't be quizzed for shelving ordinances: Experts
the Supreme Court (SC) cannot compel the head of state to approve them. ..... the government is mulling a legal way to exert pressure on the president to approve the ordinances. ..... one can politically question the president´s discretion but this again cannot be challenged in court. ..... if the government wants to challenge the president it should move the court. ..... "The government may lose the legal battle as our courts are not progressive"
Faith-based Federalism
federalism is neither a grave threat to national unity and integrity as its detractors fear, nor a panacea for all our social ills, political exclusion and economic inequity, as its true-believers proclaim .... Perfectly intelligent, reasonable and progressive thinkers can justifiably take a position in favor of federalism or against it, or for differing models of federalism. ..... Of the nearly 200 sovereign states in the world, only a small minority—about two dozen—have adopted some kind of federal model. ..... of about two dozen federal states in the whole world, only a handful are identity-based, and most of them are examples of what not to do than what to emulate. With such mixed global track record, it takes a great leap of faith to presume that ethnic federalism will be a success story in Nepal. ........ effective affirmative action, social safety-nets, and proactive measures that seek to secure equal opportunity by creating a level playing field for all ..... Of the 27 members of the European Union, only three follow federalism .... the EU today is actually moving towards a borderless super confederation, a far cry from some Nepalis’ quest for ethnic Bantustans. ..... I am personally agnostic about federalism ..... instinctive, emotional and faith-based rather than evidence-based ..... senior government jobs can never be the path to prosperity for large numbers of people in modern economies. This is an old state-centric view that is likely to inflate the size of our future governments by creating a parasitic state with over-staffed sinecure public-sector jobs, as in Bosnia where I understand up to 80 percent of national budget goes to pay for the salaries and facilities of government officials. ..... Experience world-wide –even in socialist countries like China and Vietnam—shows that only a thriving private sector-led economy can produce jobs and combat poverty in a sustainable manner, while the government plays a strong regulatory role, and assures basic services, infrastructure and social security. ...... if we have good governance, progressive laws, and effective affirmative action, any system—whether federal or unitary, parliamentary or presidential, can work to bring about a just and prosperous society.

Oppn alliance announces 20-day protests
mass protests in Biratnagar (February 2), Nepalgunj (February 3), Pokhara (February 4), Dhangadhi (February 5), Janakpur (February 6), Bhairahawa (February 7) and Kathmandu (February 8). “Our protest is for holding the election at the earliest. But for that there is a need for a national consensus government,” said NC leader Dr Ram Sharan. ...... the ruling Federal Democratic Republican Alliance (FDRA) has also decided to launch ´awareness´ and ´people´s mobilization´ programs across the country. .... decided to form FDRA chapters in all districts
Okay ordinances or reinstate CA: PM to president
Baburam Bhattarai has told the president that either the latter should endorse the ordinances forwarded by the government or the dissolved Constituent Assembly (CA) should be reinstated to resolve the constitutional and legal crises..... The prime minister also asked the President Ram Baran Yadav not to extend any longer the deadline issued to the political parties to find consensus prime ministerial candidate saying that extensions have so far remained meaningless. ..... the ruling parties have warned that they would not attend meetings called by the head of state if the latter kept extending the deadline in future. .... "It is the responsibility of the political parties, not of the president, to forge consensus [on formation of national consensus government]" ..... The ruling alliance reiterated that it would not quit the government until the political parties arrive at consensus on all issues. ..... Dahal proposed to raise the issue of Constituent Assembly (CA) revival saying it was not possible to conduct fresh polls for CA by mid April-May. .... proposed to extend the Federal Democratic Republican Alliance (FDRA), an alliance of about two dozen political parties, to local level.
UCPN (Maoist) seeks support for CA revival
“Those making the suggestion were of the view that such a move would help form the government as any leader garnering the simple majority can be elected prime minister,” said Tuladhar.
UCPN(Maoist) out to re-activate YCL
The political parties had demanded dissolution of the para-military structure of the YCL, which had been housed in groups in the some industrial buildings...... They brought the cream of the People´s Liberation Army out of the cantonments, saying they were forming 21 divisions, including the seven divisions in the cantonments. ..... There had also been some clashes with the UML youth organization Youth Force and the Nepali Congress sister wing Tarun Dal.
CPN-Maoist forms 51-member CC
CP Gajurel has retained his position as vice-chairman, Ram Bahadur Thapa as general secretary, Dev Gurung and Netra Bikram Chand as secretaries. ..... While Baidya-led group had insisted on launching a people´s revolt, factions led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Baburam Bhattarai lobbied for “peace and constitution”. .... "No new policies were introduced nor are there any new members in the new CC. It would be better to call it a plenum than a convention,” questioned Ramdeep Acharya, chairman of the party´s trade union.
Dahal calls for 'parallel govt' revival
Prime Minister Bhattarai was the head of the self-styled Maoist government during the insurgency. ..... Baburam Bhattarai was the head of central level parallel government named Joint Revolutionary People´s Council. Similarly, it had run district people´s government at the district level and village people´s government at the village level. The Maoists had also run judicial and administrative activities in the Maoist base areas including in Rolpa, Rukum, and Jajarkot. ..... announced to organize development and production related programs to provide protection to the whole-time cadres, who are left in a lurch after the party joined mainstream politics. .... it will be easier to carry out development activities through "parallel government" while the party is in government. He has maintained that big development activities and production carried out with the ´state resources´ will not only benefit the party´s cadres, but also help enhance party´s relations with the people. ..... if we can give due consideration to the use of state resources in large construction and production related works that will have direct impact on the lives of ordinary people when the party is in the government .... The former PLA will intervene in state powers and make revolt possible by raising awareness of people. .... The document has also proposed to develop revolutionary political line.
Stop issuing deadlines: Civil society to prez
The president may even choose to ask Pushpa Kamal Dahal to forge consensus with other political parties so that he can appoint Dahal as the consensus prime minister for holding fresh polls .... “Parties should reach a package deal, including on the leadership of new government that will hold polls and constitutional, legal and technical aspects with respect to the polls,” he said. “The president does not have any role here.” .... the parties are supposed to end the deadlock and not the ceremonial president
CPN-Maoist general convention endorses 'people's revolt'
unanimously endorsed the political line of launching ´people´s revolt´ by stepping on the foundation laid by the decade long ´people´s war´ .... While Baidya-led group insisted on the line of revolt, factions led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Baburam Bhattarai lobbied for ´peace and constitution´ as party line. ..... the circumstance in the given situation will decide whether to go for armed struggle or not, the convention has decided to take two-pronged policy of armed and unarmed struggle to realize the party´s goals ..... While some cadres argued that people´s war should be their main policy, the others stood for "people´s revolt". ..... the party would try to launch "people´s revolt" as the reactionary forces including UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress and CPN-UML are facing crisis during this transition period .... time now is ripe for launching people´s revolt as the parliamentary parties due to their failure to hold CA election or promulgate a new constitution are facing serious crisis. "Once the reactionary forces bring out a new constitution, we will reject the constitution and go for people´s war" ..... Baidya´s document has also termed Nepali Congress and CPN-UML as representatives of ´status-quoist´ forces, capitalists and beuraucrats.
Maoist paper proposes democratizing NA
A total of 1,442 former Maoist combatants have currently been undergoing trainings in various NA barracks. Of them, 71 are being trained for officer level positions in the NA. Six of the former combatants had opted for rehabilitation package, while another 17,000 had opted for voluntary retirement. In the initial phase, there were around 32,000 former combatants in the cantonments of which only 19,602 were verified by UNMIN. ..... While Dahal claimed that the combatants had been ensured dignified integration, Baidhya said such an integration only meant “surrender” .... The document, however, remains silent on the issue of alleged irregularities in the PLA fund.
Sixth year itch
The composure of the Madheshi politicos in Kathmandu is apparently deceptive. Soon they would be under pressure to hit the streets to achieve what they failed to deliver from Singh Durbar in six years. ...... Up to 2006, Madheshi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) was an obscure organization based in Biratnagar. Activities of its leader Upendra Yadav had been limited to opposing Nepali Congress. He had hopped from CPN-UML to CPN (Maoist) in late-1990s but had been lying low after his escape from the Indian capital. It was rumoured that Ramraja Prasad Singh had personally intervened to secure his release and safe passage. Upendra would later ditch his benefactor to ensure the victory of a fellow-Yadav as the first president of the republic. ...... MJF announced a ‘Madhesh Bandh’ on January 16, 2007, demanding that the country adopt a federal system and that the electoral constituencies be delineated on the basis of population. A handful of Madheshi activists—consisting mainly of disgruntled academics, frustrated bureaucrats and peeved politicos—symbolically burnt copies of interim constitution at Maitighar Mandala in Kathmandu. The government dealt with the protest in a ham-handed manner. Soon after, MJF juggernaut began to roll throughout Tarai-Madhesh. The rest, to use a cliché, is history. ....... Madheshis have begun to straddle the corridors of political power in Kathmandu. In the absence of parliament to reign in his ambitions, President Ram Baran Yadav fancies himself as the de facto chief executive of the country. Deputy Prime Minister Bijaya Gachhedar considers himself premier-in-waiting. ....... Emergence of Madheshis as important political players has done precious little to change ground realities in Tarai-Madhesh. The colour, composition and character of Permanent Establishment of Nepal (PEON)—the administration, the police force, the army, the judiciary, the media, and the handmaidens of donor agencies in the NGO-sector—continues to be predominantly Pahadi. The PEON has thrown away all pretences of impartiality and has begun to propagate, promote and defend communal interests in the name of ‘national unity’. ....... Something as simple as the nationality of children of naturalized citizens is still in limbo as political decisions have been overturned by administrative fiats. Courts have stayed the proposed proactive policy of special recruitment drive to include Madheshis in the army. The media and the civil society acted in tandem with conservative politicos to undermine the agenda of substantive federalism based on identity, dignity and viability ...... Impunity is the norm in Tarai-Madhesh where men in uniform take their right to arrest, interrogate or shoot in ‘national interest’ with dead seriousness. ..... Shorn of their motive force, Madhesh-based parties have become political machines of obtaining benefits from the state and distributing patronage among the faithful. Getting into government through whatever means has become the be all and end all of their politics. ..... Madhesh-based parties were in UML-led anti-Madhesh coalitions and have shared cabinet berths with the Maoists despite fundamental differences over principles of political economy. ....... how have Madheshis been coping with the challenges of surviving in a country where almost every organ of the state is inherently inimical to their very being? ....... In places like Biratnagar, Janakpur and Birgunj, the PEON has failed to dampen Madheshi spirits despite all the resources at its command. However, in bastions of Chure-Bhavar aggressiveness such as Itahari, Bardibas and Hariaun, the Madheshi intelligentsia tends to measure every word before speaking up. ..... vengeful Pahadis that want to teach Madheshis a lesson or militant Madheshis that want to give another push outnumber peace-mongers in most places. .... Among Peggy McIntosh’s oft-quoted 47 advantages of being White, three come to mind while talking about social harmony to mixed groups of Pahadis and Madheshis: “I can speak in public to a powerful male group without putting my race on trial; I can do well in a challenging situation without being called a credit to my race; and I am never asked to speak for all the people of my racial group.”
युद्धकालीन संरचना ब्युँताउन दबाब
अध्यक्ष वैद्यको प्रस्ताव पनि 'जनयुद्धको बलमा जनविद्रोह' भन्ने स्पष्ट किटान गरिएको छ । आवश्यक परे जनसेना, जनअदालतलगायतका दस वर्षे जनयुद्धका अवशेषहरू ब्युँताउने पनि दस्तावेजमा उल्लेख छ ।
'बाबुराम र प्रचण्डको कार्यशैली नदोहोर्‍याउन' बैद्य कार्यकर्ताको चेतावनी
'बाबुराम र प्रचण्ड क्रान्तिका धोकेवाज हुन्, सँगै बस्दा पार्टीभित्र गरेको भ्रष्टाचारलगायत विषय जनतासमक्ष सार्वजनिक गर्नुपर्छ भन्ने आवाज चर्को रूपमा उठेको छ,' उनले भने ।
Neutral government won’t deliver May election
Justice today can be bought and sold with cash
मधेशी संघर्ष समिति गठन

Poudel blames coalition partners for no consensus
UCPN (Maoist) pushes apolitical govt agenda
The NC and the UML say that an apolitical government will not be able to hold the polls when the country is heading through a complex transition. .... NC and UML leaders said that public faith in political parties would erode further when a civil society leader was named the new prime minister. .... UML’s official position comes at a time when its senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal is said to be positive about a neutral government for the purpose of holding the polls.
Maoist boss Dahal ‘has little hope for unity Cabinet deal’
Dahal, who held regular parleys with opposition parties earlier, has not held any consultations in recent days. ..... Dahal has concluded that forces are working to sabotage reconciliation among the parties
Govt will continue till consensus: Gachhadar
the present government would not quit prior to the consensus among the political parties .... not for the formation of national consensus government under an independent person as it was the responsibility of the political parties to tackle the national crisis.
Can't accept Koirala as new PM: UCPN (M)
During the meeting held at NC President Koirala´s residence, the top leaders of both parties concluded to take to the streets arguing that the Maoists were attempting to defer the elections in different pretensions and trying to impose authoritarianism.
PM acted irresponsibly: Thapa
AG faces ire for anti-trial order
Constitutional expert Shambhu Thapa said there is a need to create international pressure on the government to investigate the case in a free and fair way. Thapa demanded that the international community should not provide travel documents to Prime Minister Bhattarai and his Cabinet ministers.
UCPN (M) boss’ political document
UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has proposed launching a street protest in favour of Constituent Assembly revival if the political parties fail to reach consensus by January 14, the new deadline set by President Ram Baran Yadav to form a unity government. ..... the party should make the agenda of CA revival a success by garnering the support of a large section of people. ..... Opposition parties are divided over whether to revive the Assembly that was dissolved without delivering a constitution on May 27 last year, even though Dahal has been pushing the agenda since. ..... The UCPN (Maoist) has been arguing that if the parties fail to form a consensus government as per Article 38(1) of the Interim Constitution, the elected body is required to form a majority government and hold an election in April-May. ....... Some leaders in the party have been pressing the leadership to give up its stance of ethnic federalism. A leader said the issue was being discussed and the party convention will prepare a fresh stance on federalism. .... Dahal has proposed that the party engage in production-related works such as running cooperatives and communes and agriculture.
CPN-Maoist general convention: Delegates for armed struggle to attain revolutionary goals
A majority of the CPN-Maoist cadres have stressed that the party should prepare for an armed struggle to make the ‘new people’s revolution’ successful. ... Most of the cadres stressed that the revolution cannot yield a desired outcome in the absence of an armed struggle. ..... Most of the groups have concluded that the party can be a ‘revolutionary force’ only if it reconstitutes the military structure, United Front and parallel governments. “Currently, the party is no different in any way from the UCPN (Maoist). We need to develop our base areas and go to the people with a clear strategy” ..... “A majority of participants have stressed that a revolution without armed struggle is meaningless” .... the need for reviving conflict-era structures, including “People’s Government, People’s Court and People’s Liberation Army”, for a successful revolution. ..... Group participants also spoke against the party’s decision to name General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa as its consensual prime ministerial candidate. ..... “How can we launch a revolt if we are so keen to lead a government” ..... Groups have stressed that the party should launch a ‘people’s resistance movement’ to secure national sovereignty, address issues relating to people’s livelihoods and a ‘people’s constitution.’ ..... Central Committee leader Santosh Buda Magar said there was almost uniformity in the party that it should take up an armed struggle. “Peaceful movement alone cannot make the revolution successful so we are discussing further moves to achieve the goal,” said Buda.
Uniform PDA for all hydro, mega projects
The government will have a uniform power development agreement ( PDA ) template while negotiating with the foreign companies developing hydro power projects of all capacities. .... Four large hydro projects—Tamakoshi 3 (880 MW), Upper Karnali (900 MW), Upper Marsyangdi (600 MW) and Arun 3 (900 MW)—are awaiting to sign the PDA with the IB. .... Lower Arun (400 MW), Balefi (450 MW) and Likhu (120 MW), Upper Trishuli -1 (216 MW) and Upper Marshyangdi ‘A’ (50 MW).
Chinese tourists shine in Nepal’s tourism market
Visitors from the northern neighbour are the second largest foreign travelers in the country in the last three years. .... 85,832 Chinese tourists last year, which is more than 10 percent of the total arrivals in 2012. A total of 53,373 Chinese came to Nepal via air, while the rest came by road. .... Chinese visitors have been by far the fastest growing segment over the last two years. .... on an average, foreign tourists stay here for 13.12 days and the Chinese stay for 10.14 days, the second lowest after India. ..... Chinese spending in Nepal has of late superseded the spending of European travellers. The reason he gave for this trend is the economic recession in most European countries. .... As the Chinese are good bargainers, they spend $60-70 a day on an average. “Although, Chinese intend to spend more, a lack of products of their choice has contained their spending” ...... Their favourite places in Nepal are Kathmandu, Pokhara, Jomsom and Muktinath. However, of late, soft adventure sports have also attracted them. More Chinese prefer trekking, paragliding and rafting in Nepal. ..... the government plans to simplify visa procedures for Chinese tourists. ... The Chinese government has asked Nepal to revise the bilateral air service agreement (ASA) between the two countries as the travel demand has outstripped the seat capacity given to Chinese carriers. Three Chinese carriers—Air China, China Southern and China Eastern—currently land at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).
Buddhist Circuit developed to exploit tourism potential Bauddha, Swayambhu, Namobuddha, Kapilvastu, Tilaurakot, Kudan, Niglihawa, Sagarhawa, Baan Ganga, Maya Devi Temple and Ram Gram 
Justice today can be bought and sold with cash
UCPN (M) passes Dahal's political paper
100-page document .... should strongly lobby for the reinstatement of the Constituent Assembly "in order to prevent the country from sliding into deeper political mess" if consensus does not evolve between the parties within a few days on conducting the elections in Baisakj (April-May). .... the new constitution must be issued from the CA by ensuring federalism and has proposed to mobilise the masses to create momentum for CA revival. .... The document will now be circulated to the state and district committees for debate ahead of the party's general convention to be held in Hetauda from February 2.
Revive CA to resolve constitutional crisis: Ashok Rai
Rai said the CA should, however, be reinstated just for legislative purposes, not for promulgation of the new constitution. .... criticising the opposition parties saying that they have not been able to come up with any idea to resolve the crisis
UML leaders call on NC, UCPN(M) chiefs
UCPN (M) to go all-out for CA revival if no consensus by Monday
the party should continue efforts for consensus until Monday when the presidential deadline expires, but it should focus all its attention on CA revival after that ..... Dahal has also proposed to mobilise the masses to create momentum for CA revival. ..... we may have to launch a mass movement for CA revival
12-party meet rejects proposal for alternative PM
nearly all the leaders at the meeting pressed the NC and UML leaders to launch massive protests against the ruling parties ... CPN-UML leaders, including party Chairman Jhalanath Khanal, former Prime Minister Nepal and Bamdev Gautam had held a meeting with NC leaders at Koirala´s residence earlier in the morning. They asked the NC leaders if the party can be flexible on the idea of seeking an alternative candidate. ...... Ruling Maoists have been insisting that the election government to be formed under a leader who is currently not aligned with any major political party. ..... The UML leaders also discussed letting the president to nominate a prime ministerial candidate in consultation with the political parties if leaders from major political parties fail to agree on a common candidate
Be prompt and decisive
But he cannot hold the vote without amending the constitution. The constitution cannot be amended without legislature or political consensus, none of which exists now. .... the five-point agreement, which provides for a Nepali Congress-led government to conduct the polls under the new constitution. His shifting positions aside, Bhattarai wants the opposition parties to join his government, because the new constitution did not materialize. ..... Bhattarai had rejected UML leader Madhav Nepal as prime minister from day one, and his party had refused to join the Nepal government. A self-proclaimed tit-for-tat person, Bhattarai ..... The opposition parties propped up Bhattarai to drive a wedge between him and Prachanda to weaken the latter. However, the nimitta nayak turned out to be more strategic and cunning than the opposition parties had thought. He has tackled three sources of threat to his power dexterously, and is trying to checkmate the fourth. ..... Bhattarai won India’s favor by signing the BIPPA and extradition treaty, by agreeing to hand over Nepal’s airports, and by not raising the prickly border and 1950 treaty issues. No other Nepali prime minister since 1951 has surpassed his loyalty to New Delhi. Consequently, India has prevented the key coalition partners from abandoning Bhattarai. Bhattarai blunted Prachanda’s threat by strengthening his own faction in the party and frightening his party boss by setting his supporters against him. Prachanda cannot pull the plug on him without risking a split in the party. Bhattarai has conveniently disregarded the opposition parties, for they lack clout to shake his power. ...... Suo motu or at the government’s request, the President can seek advice of the Supreme Court to restore the dissolved CA for a short period with a built-in dissolution mechanism. A restored CA can amend the Interim Constitution to make room for new elections, approve constitutional appointments, and change the government if necessary, in that order. In this case, two-third majority in the CA can amend the constitution, and a majority government can conduct the polls. I prefer this solution, as it will be constitutionally most appropriate . ....... If there is no consensus, the President can appoint a new government headed by himself, by an independent person, or by another political leader.
Jimmy Savile: Eccentric entertainer and serial sex offender
CPN-Maoists debate people's war vs revolt
Baidya´s political document is for completing the ´people´s revolt´ on the foundation of the ´people´s war.´ .... Those cadres for people´s war argued that there was no foundation now for a people´s war. The PLA, the people´s government and people´s courts were already dissolved. .... Nepal is not neo-colonial as stated by the party but semi-colonial ..... Referring to Nepal´s situation, they said that the then USSR was not the right model for armed revolt as Nepal is still semi-feudal and semi-colonial. .... We fell from the peak of Everest and do not know how far we have fallen. We should first find that out and start anew from there, not from zero .... Those who argued for people´s revolt said that there was no going back to people´s war. So, the party should form the party organization and its army for a revolt. ..... the party should guarantee that there would not be any betrayal of the revolution and that the leadership would not morph into another Dahal or Baburam Bhattarai. .... the party leaders should change their livestyles and make public their property and its sources. And all property of at lest those from the central committee level up should be handed over to the party. .... The cadres from Rolpa, the cradle of the decade-long Maoist people´s war, argued that the people´s war should now start from the cities.
President won't remain indecisive
President Ram Baran Yadav on Friday categorically told top leaders that he is not going to endorse even a single ordinance forwarded by the present government .... a meeting with top leaders of 19 political parties ..... The president also made it clear that he wouldn´t endorse the ordinances that were submitted by the present government even if the political parties unanimously suggest him to do so. The president is already sitting on nearly a dozen ordinances. ..... "He clearly said that he would endorse the ordinances after a consensus government is in place and a cabinet meeting of such a coalition recommends him to do so" ...... the president told the leaders that he wouldn´t remain as indecisive as the then CA Chairman Subas Nembang, who remained mute witness to the CA demise in May last year. ..... the president, unlike in the past meetings, presented himself in a noticeably different manner and was making strongly-worded statements ..... Yadav however repeatedly clarified that he wouldn´t take any move by bypassing the political parties. ..... Madhav Kumar Nepal floated a proposal at the meeting that the president be given a mandate to nominate a prime ministerial candidate given the political parties´ failure to agree on a common leader.
NC sticks to Koirala's PM candidacy

Parties get five days to name consensus PM; All-party meet tomorrow
PM Bhattarai has Rs. 1.1 million in his bank account
EC without office-bearers as two remaining commissioners retire
Parties now talk of consensus by mid-Jan

Madhav Nepal, others for alternative PM candidate
Prez to organise all-party meet on Friday

Melmilaap mending broken mirrors
Biratnagar once had the reputation of a Marwari town. At the Satya Narayan Mandir, morning prayers are still held in Marwari language. Golchhas, Dugars, Todis and various Agrawal families did give some color to the bazaar. But with a few exceptions, most of them prospered by accepting a secondary position in the social pecking order. The top echelon belonged to Rijals, Arjyals, Acharyas, Basnets, Karkis, Thapas, and yes, Koiralas. ...... The town lives with the image of having once been a base of Koiralas. In the days of yore, most Madhesis remained out of sight unless they appeared in public as appendages of the Pahadi aristocracy. Let alone Pahadis, even an upwardly mobile Madheshi wouldn’t be caught dead speaking Maithili—the lingua franca of rural hinterland. Hindi was acceptable, but Maithili? Biratnagar prided itself for not being just another Janakpur. That too is slowly changing...... The middle class still sticks to the ‘national language’ in public conversations. However, rickshaw pullers speak their language with pride. Girls cycling to school chatter away in their mother tongue. .... BP Koirala was born in Varanasi. Other than years served in jails of Kathmandu as most illustrious political prisoner of South Asia, he spent much of his time in India in self-exile. The same is true of Girija Prasad Koirala. ...... After the 1990s, GP was based in Kathmandu and paid only occasional, but always highly publicized, visits to his ‘hometown.’ Born and brought up in India, BP and GP were cremated on the banks of Bagmati at the Aryaghat. ..... Younger Koiralas don’t seem to have such emotional attachments to the town anymore. Many whisper in private that after the Madhesh Uprising, Biratnagar is in the process of becoming a “Madheshi Town.” ..... The communication between Pahadi and Madheshi communities, however, continues to be strained and guarded. ..... Nepalgunj is the closest equivalent to Biratnagar in western Nepal ..... Similarities between Madheshi-Pahadi relations in Biratnagar and Nepalgunj are so striking that memories of one town often gets mixed up with another. As in Nepalgunj, almost all rickshaw-pullers in Biratnagar are Madheshis while their customers are invariably Pahadis. The tone of conversations between rickshaw pullers and their customers have become frighteningly confrontational. Even a hint of condescension makes the rickshawwalahs mention Madhesh Uprising. Apparently, the Uprising had been cathartic even for toiling Madheshis. Pahadis, on the other hand, want to forget the nightmare. ...... The problem with mending a broken mirror is that no matter how hard one tries to fit pieces together, one or the other shard always keeps falling off. The new normalcy in towns like Biratnagar and Nepalgunj can only be created through a brand new statute. Sadly such prospects appear dim at the moment.
High speed trains: Blight at the end of the tunnel
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