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Law and order, national consensus Deuba’s priorities

The newly appointed Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba said that his priority would be to maintain law and order, create national consensus and solve the Maoist insurgency through dialogue.

Deuba, soon after being elected leader of the Nepali Congress Parliamentary party, said that he would run his government in consultation with outgoing Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and pursue Koirla’s 14-point agenda for national consensus.

“I would seek blessings from party president Koirala and senior leader Krishna Prasad Bhattarai and cooperation and suggestion from all friends in the party”, Deuba told reporters in the NC parliamentary party office Sunday evening.

Deuba said he would also consult with leaders of opposition parties and receive their cooperation. On Maoist insurgency, he said, “I would try to solve this problem
politically through dialogue.” nepalnews.com yl July 22

Deuba appointed Prime Minister

His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev appointed Sher Bahadur Deuba Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Nepal. Deuba was elected leader of the Nepali Congress parliamentary party Sunday.

He polled 72 votes against 40 votes of his rival Sushil Koirala in the election for the leader of NC parliamentary party. One vote was invalid.

His Majesty the King also thanked outgoing Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and the Council of Ministers headed by Koirala for discharging duty honestly. nepalnews.com yl July 22

Deuba Next Prime Minister

Sher Bahadur Deuba was elected leader of Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party today. In the election held Sunday, Deuba polled 72 votes, while his rival Sushil Koirala secured 40 votes.

There are 113 members of the Nepali Congress in the House of Representatives, who elect the leader of NC parliamentary party. Now, Deuba would be appointed Prime Minister probably Sunday evening. The leader of the Nepali Congress party automatically becomes Prime Minister because NC enjoys majority in parliament. 

According to the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, 1990, His Majesty has to appoint the leader of parliamentary party that commands majority in the House of Representatives, Lower House of Parliament, as Prime Minister of the country. 
Nepalnews.com yl July 22

Sher Bahadur Deuba expected to be new PM

Former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, 55, is expected to stage a comeback to be elected head of the government for the second time nearly four years later Sunday, analysts said.

Result of the voting by 113 members for the leadership of the ruling Nepali Congress parliamentary party or effectively the next prime Minister that began 3 PM will be announced after 5 PM Nepal time (12.15 GMT). The Nepali Congress has a majority in the 205 member House of Representatives.

Either contestant has to garner at least 57 votes to win. Deuba is being challenged by Sushil Koirala, 63, the party's nominated general secretary and elected member of the central committee; Koirala is nephew of Prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala who resigned unceremoniously Thursday after internal party and opposition pressure calling for his ouster.

Deuba was toppled by two members of his own party who abstained in a crucial parliamentary vote in 1997reducing it to minority status; Deuba never forgave  the Girija Prasad Koirala faction in the party for his ouster and this April unsuccessfully challenged the outgoing prime minister in a leadership tussle. 

Deuba hails from far west Nepal that has been affected by a Maoist communist insurgency that has claimed more than 1,700 lives and is considered a moderate  who has negotiated with the rebels to defuse the kingdom's  worst internal conflict. He was Home Minister in the first elected government headed by Koirala is 1991 following multi-party elections after 32 years. 

Deuba's election is expected to boost changes of  talks with insurgents who took a tough stance against Koirala demanding his resignation. Koirala, 76, finally relented and resigned after serious charges of corruption in the infamous Lauda Air deal to lease  an aircraft  for Royal Nepal Airlines, stalling of parliament by the opposition demanding the PM's resignation and dramatic Maoist attacks against policemen killing or abducting them.

Koirala's resignation followed the June 1 carnage at the royal palace in which King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya were killed and military was for the first called to disarm and secure the release of 69 policemen in far west Nepal this month. 

Koirala's resignation came as he lost his power base in parliament following  resignation of staunch supporter Deputy Prime Minister and Home Ministrer Ram Chandra Paudel this month demanding a national  front of democratic forces to tackle the kingdom's worsening internal law and internal situation. 

Sushil Koirala is a trusted member of the kitchen cabinet of his uncle but does not have a popular base in parliament; he has not been a minister in but is considered incorruptible. Nepalnews.com br July 22

Maoists release 22 policemen in two groups 

Maoists released 22 abducted policemen in  two groups in Rolpa and Ramechap districts Friday and Saturday, police sources said. 

On the initiative of some human rights activists, rebels released 12 of 69 abducted policemen at a village in Rolpa near Holleri for the first time since the army was deployed there to free the policemen and recover a large cache of looted a  arms and ammunition.

Insurgents also released 10 policemen at Ramechap, security sources said. Maoist strongman Prachanda in the first comment on the resignation last week of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala said the development "is a victory of the people."  

The ruling Nepali Congress party is electing Koirala's successor Sunday. nepalnews.com br July 22

NEPSE index again falls

The NEPSE  index fell by 17.61 points at the end of four day trading Friday after registering a gain of 25.49 points the previous week. Trading opened at 352.25 points Monday and closed at 334.64 points Friday. 

Altogether 45,192 shares of 30 companies valued at Rs.27.91 million were traded through 746 transactions; the previous week 163,289 shares valued at R 55 million were exchanged hands through 4,507 transactions. 

The government for the first time introduced capital gains tax from this fiscal year on stock trading. The market decline was  largely because of the slump in the indices of the banking sector  from 384.08 to 358.84. nepalnews.com br July 22 

Deuba, Sushil file nominations 

Nepali Congress general secretary Sushil Koirala and former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba filed nominations for the leaders of NC parliamentary party leader. NC parliamentary party leader would be automatically become next Prime Minister. As the time for nominations for the parliamentary party leader was over at 8:30 am Sunday, only two leaders filed nomination papers.

Govinda Raj Joshi proposed and Dr. Ram Baran Yadav seconded Ssushil Koirala’s candidacy, while Khum Bahadur Khadka proposed and Chirnajibi Wagle seconded Deuba’s candidacy. Voting would be held between 3 am and 5 am, if none of the candidates withdraws nominations. 

Former Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, Ram Chandra Poudel and Khum Bahadur Khadka have supported Deuba, while outgoing Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has backed his nephew Sushil Koirala. The result would be announced after 5 pm today. nepalnews.com yl July 22

Election of next PM to be held Sunday

The election for the Nepali Congress parliamentary party leader, who would be automatically next prime Minister, is to be held tomorrow (Sunday), according to Nepali Congress party. The three-member election committee that was formed Friday by the NC central committee to conduct the election for parliamentary party leader announced election programme Saturday.

According to the programme, lists of members of parliamentary party would be published at 8 am Sunday. Those who want to contest the election for parliamentary party leader have to file nominations from 8:30 am to 9:30 am.

Candidates can withdraw nominations from 10:30 to 11:15 am Sunday. The final list of the candidates would be published at 11:15. If there are more than one candidates, voting would be held from 3 pm to 5 pm Sunday. Counting would begin at 5 pm and results would be declared after the
completion of the counting.

The election committee has said that in case any candidate does not secure more than 50 per cent votes (if there are more than two candidates in the fray), the second round of election would be held between two candidates who have secured highest and second highest votes in the first round of election.

The election for the new parliamentary leader is being held as Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala resigned from his post Thursday. Sushil Koirala, Ram Chandra Poudel, Sher Bahadur Deuba and Chakra Prasad Bastola have announced their candidacy for the leader of NC parliamentary party so far.

However, Deuba and Koirala seem to be the main contender. Prime Minister Koirala has not supported any candidates so far but his support would be decisive for any candidate to win the election. Prime Minister Koirala is likely to support his nephew Sushil Koirala.  nepalnews.com yl July 21

Maoist students shut down schools, colleges

All educational institutes including schools and colleges remained closed throughout the country on Friday at the call of the All Nepal National Free Students Union (Revolutionary), student wing of underground Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist).

Maoist students called one-day strike in schools and colleges to protest against low priority and budgetary allocation for education sector in the Budget-2001/02.

Maoist students also burnt effigies of Finance Minister Dr Ram Sharan Mahat and the budget. Maoist students claimed that the government’s priority to education was
inadequate both in its annual policies and programmes as well as the budget.

The strike in schools and colleges passed off peacefully, according to a Home Ministry spokesman. Maoist students have described the strike as a complete success and a tremendously positive response to their call. nepalnews.com yl July 20

NC to unanimously choose new PM

The emergency meeting of the central working committee of the ruling Nepali Congress party was held Friday following the resignation of Girija Prasad Koirala from the post of Prime Minister.

The meeting decided to unanimously choose the leader of the NC parliamentary party, who would be next Prime Minister, said secretary of the NC central office.

The meeting also formed a three-member election committee and one central observer from among the central committee members to conduct the election of the parliamentary party leader.

Basudev Rishal, K.B. Gurung and Laxman Ghimire are the members of election committee and Narahari Acharya is the observer.

The committee has already started its work for the election, said a member of the committee. The new leader of the NC parliamentary party is likely to be elected by Monday. nepalnews.com yl July 20

In one of his last acts before resigning Thursday, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala appointed Dr. Krishna Manandhar secretary of  the Royal Nepal Academy for Science and Technology (RONAST), an announcement said.

Dr.Manandhar was dean of the Tribhuvan University Institute of Science and Technology. nepalnews.com br July 20