Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, March 20:

Over a dozen central members of the National Democratic Student Organisation (NDSO) today openly defied the Rastriya Prajatantra Party Party (RPP) leadership over the latter’s reluctance to back the royal takover of February 1. “We are fed up with our student leaders. They have totally failed to convene the meeting and discuss the issue of backing the royal move. Now, we are left to wage our own campaign against them,” said vice-chairman of the RPP-leaning student outfit, Bhupal Karki. He came down heavily on the chairman of NDSO for leading the outfit the student outfit into the wilderness, saying that since the RPP had essentially expressed willingness to back the royal move, there was no point in refraining from welcoming it.

Saying that there was nothing wrong in King Gyanendra’s speech in that day wherein the the monarch expressed commitment to live with constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy, Basnet said, “We will keep the fight alive to retain our identity at any cost.” The latest development comes in the wake of the aborted meeting of the National Democratic Student Organisation yesterday which never materialised after the NDSO Chairman Dhan Bahadur Buda fled the scene of the planned meeting sensing a definite defeat if the motion was put to vote. Basnet claimed that the camp which is rooting to back the royal move has a majority in the 27-member central committee. “We have as much as 24 ayes in the 27-member central body. At least 14 of them are in capital. We can win the motion,” claimed Basnet.

NDSO leader quits

KATHMANDU: Influential central leader of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Jagat Gauchan on Sunday resigned from his post of Coordinator of National Democratic Student Organisation (NDSO). This was announced in a statement issued by Assistant General Secretary of the RPP, Khem Raj Pandit, soon after the section of the NDSO announced its plan to press for immediate backing of the royal move. “Since Gauchan, who was vested with responsibility of coordinating the student outfit, has expressed desire to distance himself from the organisation, it is hereby notified that he is no longer associated with the said job,” said the curt statement which indicates at the possibility of intensifying struggle in the party between those who are hardliner and those who are moderate royalists. Gauchan is among those who identify themselves as royalists. —HNS