Nepal's major parties on Wednesday failed to break an impasse over the formation of a new government as efforts to strike a deal on sharing of power proved futile. During crucial talks in Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's residence here, the Maoists rejected a proposal from Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML to amend the interim constitution to remove a provision requiring two-thirds majority for forming or unseating the government.
Ending a political deadlock, Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala on Saturday invited the Maoists to form a government, more than a month after they emerged as the biggest party in the Constituent Assembly polls.
The Maoists in Nepal spearheaded by Prachanda today surged ahead in the landmark constituent assembly polls, winning 14 seats and leading in 65 of the remaining 240 constituencies. Prachanda, 53, chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist who led a decade-long insurgency in the country to overthrow the monarchy, defeated his closest rival Rajendra Kumar K.C of the Nepali Congress in Kathmandu.
The elections, which are set to usher in democracy ending the 40-year monarchy, saw the first seat going to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's Nepali Congress party, whose candidate Prkash Man Singh won one of the constituencies in Kathmandu. Maoist chairman Prachanda, Maoist war time strategist Ram Bahadur Thpa (Badal), its spokesman Krishna Bahadur Mahara and two female Maoist leaders Pampha Bhushal and Hisila Yami are leading in their respective constituencies.
Nepal's Maoist leaders have suggested a referendum to decide the fate of the monarchy if the country is not declared a republic through parliament. Maoist chairman Prachanda and his deputy Dr Babu Ram Bhattarai, recommended a referendum to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala during their meeting on Sunday.
The three conspirators Abdul Latif, Dalip Kumar and Yusuf Nepali have been lodged in the high security Patiala Central Jail since their arrest about eight years ago. The three were accused of helping the hijackers in procuring fake passports and other papers and also helping them take weapons aboard the aircraft that was hijacked.
The latest updates from the Malayalam film industry.
As of now, tankers carry petroleum products from India to Nepal as part of an arrangement which is in place since 1973.
Maoist chief Prachanda was on Wednesday elected by lawmakers as Nepal's Prime Minister for a second time.
This is the meaning of the victory of the Maoists in the elections to the first popularly elected constituent assembly in south Asia. This is the victory of the Nepali people against their feudal oppressors, the triumph of popular sentiment over the malicious propaganda of the media, the success of the republic over the kingdom, the attainment of sovereignty against foreign interference and the conquest of Kathmandu by the rest of Nepal.
Heading towards a landslide victory in the historic Nepal polls and poised to form the next government, the Maoists have crossed the 100-mark by winning 110 seats out of the 200 results declared (according to reports that last came in). Poll analysts say it will be difficult for the Maoists to get clear cut majority in the 601-seat assembly in which 575 are elected and 26 are nominated by the new Councils of Ministers.
Sangamesh Hunagund sends us this picture with actress Meera Jasmine.
Bihar police on Tuesday claimed to have unearthed a suspected ISI link to target the railways with arrest of three persons in East Champaran district of the state bordering Nepal and are being interrogated to find out if they had a role in the derailment at Kanpur Dehat in November and elsewhere.
King Gyanendra Monday held talks with former prime ministers of Nepal.
Powell agreed that her number one task in Nepal would be to focus on what the US could do to be supportive, without being viewed as interfering or managing it.
The peace talks between the government and the Maoists, which were postponed about a month ago, will resume in Kathmandu on Monday.
'Keeping its financial interests in mind, China wants no enmity with the Nepalese government.'
Terming the remarks of a Red FM radio jockey against the Gorkha community as derogatory, the govt has banned the radio channel for 7 days.The remarks about the winner of Indian Idol Prashant Tamang had triggered violent clashes in Siliguri last week.
The announcement comes after a week of protests against him.
The formation of the new government, which was expected on Friday, was delayed due to last-minute wrangling over the distribution of portfolios.
As the MAMI film festival kicks off, Aseem Chhabra picks the must watch Indian movies.
Expressing concern over the recent Maoist activities, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during a recent meeting with a UML team in Delhi had said that the unity between the Nepali Congress and UML be strengthened.
a procession by fans of Indian Idol Prashant Tamang clashed with locals, following dispute over passage for an ambulance near the Siliguri Sub-divisional hospital on Friday.
Aseem Chhabra on his friend, the firebrand Nepali journalist Kanak Mani Dixit, who was arrested last week. Aseem, who has known Dixit for 35 years, believes the charges are trumped up.
Four Babbar Khalsa terrorists were arrested in Chandigarh Tuesday morning, a day after three militants of the outfit, including its India operations chief, were taken into custody in Delhi.
Their common agenda was to destabilise peace, democracy and the political set-up through insurgency and violence in both countries, Pandey said.
Bollywood actress Manisha Koirala's father Prakash Koirala, who was \nexpelled from the Nepali Congress party for openly supporting the royal takeover, has been made a minister after his induction into the cabinet by King Gyanendra.
Some believe she should no longer be the face of the struggle to free Myanmar from the new military dictatorship, observes Prakash Bhandari.
The government also wanted to defame Pakistan, a key accused said.
Nepal on Tuesday banned an Indian couple from mountain climbing in the country for 10 years after they tried to fake a successful ascent of Mount Everest with digitally altered photographs, officials said.
Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Leninist) leader K P Sharma Oli has been made deputy premier and foreign minister.
'The Modi government's grandstanding has hardened the reflexes in Beijing, Islamabad and Kathmandu and complicated India's relations with these three countries, which were even otherwise highly problematic.' 'Whatever prospects existed for a fair and balanced resolution of the territorial disputes may also have receded,' observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Two Nepalese expeditions to the Mt. Everest will be carrying the red flag of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) to plant on the peak if they are able to make it to the top.
But that is unlikely to deter NGOs planning their first protest march in Kathmandu on Thursday.
A Royal Commission to probe corruption cases against politicians.
