Quote Unquote (Spotlight Weekly)

"Perhaps Girijababu wants to see the continued bloodshed of Nepalese, of security forces. The country can go to the dogs, but he only wants power."

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, responding to Girija Prasad Koirala's charge that foreign forces were involved in splitting the Nepali Congress, in Kantipur.

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"There is a foreign hand in the split in our party."

Girija Prasad Koirala, former prime minister and president of the establishment faction of the ruling party, talking to party workers.

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"Twelve years after the restoration of democracy, the era of Nepali Congress has finally come to an end. Now the UML will shoulder the responsibility of leading the nation."

Madhav Kumar Nepal, general secretary of Unified Marxist-Leninist, when asked by reporters for reaction to the split in the ruling party.

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"The split in Nepali Congress is a sad event. Nobody should be happy about it."

Bamdev Gautam, who recently re-united with his mother party Unified Marxist-Leninist after engineering its split four years ago, in Bimarsha.

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"The prime minister has jeopardized democracy in order to cling to power."

Kamal Thapa, leader of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, in Himalaya Times.

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"Prostitution should be legalized to control the rising menace of sexually transmitted diseases."

Sharat Singh Bhandari, Health Minister, in Spacetime daily.

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"We have formed the new party to relieve the country from its present troubles and bring peace."

Narayan Singh Pun, president of newly formed Nepal Samata Party, talking to reporters.

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"I cannot stop myself from eating what I like despite the fear of gaining weight."

Karishma Manandhar, popular actress, saying it is not "dieting" that has helped her in maintaining her figure, in Gorkhapatra.

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