OFF THE RECORD (Spotlight Weekly)

Khadka's Self-accolade

Home Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka has unique way of political dealing. Known as one of the most powerful kitchen cabinet member of Bhattarai group, Khadka does not spare time to exhibit his influence. Last week when former speaker Ram Chandra Poudel was busy accepting bouquets from his followers after his appointment as minister for Information and Communication, Khadka was bidding farewell at a meeting at the Ministry of Information and Communication. During his address former information and communication minister Khadka spared no time boasting his eight month old performance as the communication minister. His deputy Govinda Bahadur Shah (state minister for communication) even hailed Khadka as a rare man of commitment and determination.

Bhattarai In Bed

Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai is sick and unable to walk since his spinal cord was said to have swollen last week. This is the reason Bhattarai's mentors asked him to take rest. Bhattarai's kitchen cabinet members were happy when they saw Bhattarai lying at his bed in Baluwatar. Placing "Please Don't Disturb" sign at the main gate of Baluwatar, Bhattarai's coterie heaved a sigh of relief. Although country's chief executive was sick for nearly a week, no body saw it proper to inform the public.

Search For Alternatives

CPN-ML leaders are busy nowadays to prove that they are genuine nationalist communist force of the country. From C.P. Mainali to Bamdev Gautam all see ML as alternative to Nepali Congress and CPN-UML. When all leaders of major political parties were talking about the possible way to find out solution of Maoist problem, CPN-ML leader C.P. Mainali was busy boasting the role of his party.

Populist Slogan

CPN-UML leader K.P. Sharma Oli claimed that his party has solution for every problem faced by the country. Oli's party rode to power in 1995 offering similar promises. If they had solution for all problems, what were they doing when they were in power many times in the past. Oli knows that populism is the best way to keep his party in business.

Hurried Poudel

Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Poudel declared that he would sort out all problems of the present cabinet as soon as he takes oath of office. Unlucky Poudel, who has to spend nearly eight months to be included in the cabinet, will now have to wait nearly a week to hold his position officially for taking oath of office and secrecy. How lucky he will be in disciplining his cabinet colleagues now remains to be seen.

Big Stars In Small Screen

Big screen actresses like Sharmila Malla and Bina Budhathoki are nowadays busy in playing drama for small screen. At a time when big screen is being captured by new faces, the old generation actresses have no alternative other than to play for small screen. Anyway, for them the small screen is more or less without competition.

Splendid Isolation

Newly appointed head of Higher Secondary Board Kaushal Raj Regmi has closed his official doors to virtually everyone, including to his staff members and the media. For some strange reasons, Regmi wants to distance himself from the people and media.