KATHMANDU, March 8: CK Raut (Chandra Kanta Raut), a leader of separatist movement who has been demanding a autonomous Madhes country for the Madhesi people for the past few years, is announcing that he is quitting his political movement, according to reports.

It has been confirmed that Raut is giving up his separatist movement today to join mainstream politics, reported Republica after confirming the information from his brother Jayakanta.

Raut will make the announcement at a function to be held at the City Hall in Kathmandu today afternoon, where the stage will also be shared by Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli.

According to various sources, Raut has been holding talks with the government for the past few weeks. He also held a one-on-one discussion with PM Oli today morning.

Multiple sources have also confirmed that Raut will also dissolve the Alliance for the Independent Madhes founded in 2007, advocating for the establishment of independent Madhes and end to end to racism, slavery and discrimination imposed on Madhesi people in its manifesto. The Alliance had made public its manifesto on 21 May 2012 through a press conference in the capital.

Raut who is in judicial custody was ordered a release by the Supreme Court on Thursday. Raut was arrested on October last year while appearing before the Rautahat District Court to attend a general date, and sent to judicial custody.

Issuing a press statement, they have said that the policy and programs adopted by the recently concluded general convention were made monopolistic.

The leaders of all three constituencies, chiefs and members of the sister organisations in the district took a decision to this end, reads the statement issued by representative of general convention and district leader Ram Bandhu Regmi.

KATHMANDU:  The regional conference of the Asian Coordination of the International Coordination of Revolutionary Parties and Organization (ICOR) has started in  Kathmandu today.

Rastriya Janamorcha Nepal is the organizer of the program.

Over 500 delegates are taking part at the conference. The ICOR is the organization of communist and anti-imperialist political parties in Asia.

Chairman of Rastriya Janamorcha Nepal Chitra Bahadur KC inaugurated the programme attended by some 500 delegates from Nepal, India and Bangladesh.

Addressing the conference, KC said that imperialism has been a global problem and even a danger as well. “World´s developing and underdeveloped countries´ sovereignty and independent economic development has been endangered due to globalization,” KC argued.

He also said that the Indian expansionism was perpetually dominating Nepal through political and economic interference and that has endangered Nepal´s nationality, sovereignty and national unity.

Also speaking at the programme, CPN (UML) leader Pradip Gyawali, Nepali Congress leader Man Mohan Bhattarai, CPN (ML) General Secretary CP Mainali and others said that all should fight against totalitarianism and expansionism that hinder the democratic process.

Other delegates at the program said that democratic and anti-imperialist political parties and peoples should unite against the American imperialism.

CPN (Masal) General Secretary Mohan Bikram Singh is scheduled to present a working paper on current political situation of Asia.

The leaders of the Morcha gave this ultimatum after handing in a memorandum to Chairman of the Council of Ministers Khil Raj Regmi at his residence on Thursday morning, according to RSS.

The Morcha which is an alliance of different parties has demanded that the government, among other things, guarantee the forthcoming Constituent Assembly election, to at least keep intact the previous ratio of the proportional election system, to scrap the high-level political committee for ensuring an environment for holding the CA election in a free, fair and fear-free manner, and to correct the 25-point Presidential decree on the basis of all-party political consensus.

The Morcha leaders also accused the high-level political committee which they said had no constitutional standing of holding the country´s politics hostage and commandeering this government as its mere shadow.

KATHMANDU: A day after Nepal’s President Dr Ram Baran Yadav endorsed the budget ordinance, ruling and political parties started debating the move.

Till Tuesday, the ruling allies were slamming the President for not cooperating and the opposition parties were praising the President, but on Wednesday the scenario turned upside down.

During a press interaction program organized by the Reporters Club Nepal in Kathmandu on Wednesday, ruling party leaders termed the President’s move as a ‘decision taken by the guardian to secure the interest of all Nepalese”.

And contrary to it, leaders from opposition party camp termed it to be ‘unfortunate and unprecedented move” that has ‘shocked them”.

Speaking at the program, CPN UML leader Pradeep Gyanwali accused the President of taking an contradictory decision arguing that the decision taken in the evening was contrary to his urge for bringing the budget through consensus during daytime.

” President’s request and his action taken in evening yesterday do not match,” Gyanwali said adding, ” we don’t know why the President took such action, but it surely has surprised and saddened us.”

” We hope to find an answer to this from the President in the days ahead,” Gyanwali added claiming that the unilateral preparation of the budget and announcement of CA elections by the government had intensified political struggle between the ruling and opposition parties .

Endorsing Gyanwali’s statements, Nepali Congress leader Ram Sharan Mahat stated that the President should have consulted political parties before endorsing the budget ordinance. Mahat opined that not discussing the issue with parties, was a grave mistake on the President’s part.

He however appreciated the President’s cooperation in hindering the Maoist-led government to bring a full fledged budget. Mahat said that though the budget was necessary for keeping the national economy floating, he argued that it should have been brought in consultation with the opposition parties too.

Stating that the government had closed doors for consensus talks, Mahat said that there is no other alternative than to launch stern agitation to form a national consensus government.

He opined that the President too should support the opposition parties to resolve ongoing status quo by fixing a definite deadline to form national consensus government.

However, UCPN Maoist leader Agni Sapkota praised the President’s step by terming it as an rational decision for the welfare of 3 billion Nepalese people. He said that the President had averted an untoward situation by endorsing the budget at a critical juncture.

Stating that the budget was brought under compulsion by the government, Sapkota said that the President’s cooperation had foiled the opposition parties’ conspiracy to capture state power by using budget as a bargaining chip.

On the occasion, Sapkota ruled out the dissolution of incumbent government unless political parties resolved all outstanding issues in a package.

NEPALGUNJ: Nepali Congress influential leader K P Sitaula has claimed that that ruling parties have obliterated consensus talks between ruling and opposition parties to resolve political status quo.

Speaking to journalists here, Sitaula claimed that presentation of the budget ordinance and announcement of CA elections for April May by the ruling parties without consulting opposition parties,  reflected the government’s totalitarian tendency.

” The government which had failed to hold CA elections on its own date has announced another date without holding consultations with opposition parties. This is nothing more than ruling parties trick to prolong stay in power,” Sitaula summarized.

Sitaula further claimed that his party will strengthen ties with other opposition parties and launch agitation against the government in the days ahead and announced the end of consensus talks with the government on the occasion.

He claimed that CA elections were not possible in April/ May without garnering consensus by November end and added that the possibility of consensus had ended with the announcement of new CA elections date by the government on Tuesday.

On the occasion, he urged party cadres to gear up for a stern agitation against the government. (nepalireporter.com)

They have accused the government of closing all the doors to talks and dialogues taking of late  to  forge a political agreement on national consensus government, budget issues and new election and intended at imposing autocratic rule in the country.   The announcement of new elections and bringing the budget through ordinance has obstructed the way for a consensus, they said.

Speaking at a programme organized by the CPN (UML) on behalf of the opposition parties here Tuesday, they said intention of the ruling coalition partners of imposing totalitarianism in the country would never be fulfilled.

Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala said unilateral decision of the incumbent government regarding the budget and new elections to the Constituent Assembly were in the violation of rule of law and the politics of consensus. He claimed that the budget prepared neglecting all the moral responsibilities would close all ways to a consensus.

There was no alternative for political parties to negotiations, consensus and unity, he said while adding that the performance of the incumbent government has fueled the political crisis currently facing the country.

Similarly, CPN (UML) Chairman Jhalanath Khanal said the government’s decision to bring the budget through ordinance and announcement of new election showed its ‘madness’ and urged the government to come to a consensus on the agendas of national interest at the earliest.

The budget prepared ignoring the past talks and discussions and the announcement of new election would not be acceptable for the party, he said.

Chairman of Rastriya Prajatantra Party Pashupati Shamser JB Rana accused the ruling partners of not becoming serious towards forging consensus on the national agendas and intending to rule arbitrarily.

He added that the budget ordinance and new election announced by the government undermining the voices of the opposition parties would not be acceptable for his party.

Likewise, Chairman of Rastriya Janashakti Party Surya Bahadur Thapa accused the government of announcing new election violating democratic norms and values.

CPN (ML) general secretary CP Mainali  and NC leader Dr Minendra Rijal condemned the government for its decisions of bringing the budget and holding new election without consultations with other political parties. RSS

Maoist supremo Puspa Kamal Dahal had rolled out the proposal to his NC counterpart Sushil Koirala at his own residence in the capital on Thursday, in a bid to ease off the ongoing stand off between the ruling and opposition parties.

Informed and reliable sources claimed that Prachanda had offered Finance, Home, and Defense among other ministries to Sushil as a bargain to participate in the Bhattarai led government and move ahead with holding CA elections, brining full budget.

Along with hot key posts, Prachanda had proposed to form a high level steering committee comprising of all political parties and put Sushil in its charge. The steering committee would govern the government and also provide feedback to the government.

However, Sushil denied to accept both proposals and made it clear to Prachanda that his party wont support the incumbent government  and warned that his party would take to streets if the Bhattarai government is not dissolved to pave way for the formation of national consensus government.

Koirala urged Prachanda to play constructive role in dissolving incumbent government and for supporting the formation of NC led national consensus government while warning that his party would not back off from the agenda and will agitate if the government and ruling parties do not heed to opposition’s demand.

The meeting was also attended by NC Vice President Ram Chandra Paudel.

KATHMANDU: Nepal’s former king Gyanendra Shah openly challenged what he called ‘immature’ and ‘myopic’ decision of political parties and called on the general public to be cautious of such decisions.

Speaking at a religious program in western part of the country on Tuesday, the former monarch explicitly claimed that ” everyone should be cautious of the immature policy and decision.”

Though Gyanendra did not elaborated to what he referred as ‘immature’ and myopic decision, he said that the state affairs should be run systematically and decisively.

“Due to lack of influential central, the state system is on the verge of collapse,” Gyanendra concluded while reading out the written statement at a remote village Harpur-6, of Nawalparasi, where he was invited to attend a religious function and for installing an idol.

“The conditions are not in favour of accepting any immature decision. Everyone should be conscious about this,” he said hinting towards the abolishment of monarchy and establishment of republicanism in Nepal.

One of his aide, who preferred to stay anonymous, addressed Gyanendra as “His Majesty” and informed that Gyanendra was unhappy with most of the political decisions taken after the establishment of republicanism.

During his speech, Gyanendra at a point even claimed that the state cannot be run by marginalising a power source, making it clear that he still remained a power-centre in the nation.

He stressed on the need to move ahead by bringing all power sources together. Though he explicitly did not claim stake in the round table conference talks, he nevertheless hinted for participation in it.

His statement comes at a time when political parties are increasingly becoming suspicious about Gyanendra’s political role and even claiming that he was getting involved in politics.

Though the former monarch had so far denied of engaging in politics and had even at times claimed that his visits were religious in nature, in this speech he voiced himself as a political power and even tried to assure his supporters that the monarchy will live in Nepal through religious practices.

The program was organised by the World Hindu Federation and speakers which included some influential Indian leaders, addressed Gyanendra as “His Majesty”.

Inaugurating the Dhulikhel municipal conference of the party here today, Standing Committee member Mahara said the issue of whether going for election after promulgating constitution would be settled very soon.

He further said if the constitution was promulgated by restoring Constituent Assembly for some period, Nepali Congress or any other party could lead the election government. Otherwise, change in government leadership was impossible, he argued.

Similarly, leader Mahara said the President must pass the budget the government brings because the country would face crisis if the budget is not brought on time.

He accused the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and other parties of trying to restore 2047 constitution.The municipal conference would elect new leadership. RSS