Kathmandu, April 19, 2008

Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda today said he would lead the next government to be formed after all the results of the assembly polls are announced.

He was addressing a function in Kirtipur (Kathmandu-10) from where he was elected. The CPN-Maoist, which emerged as the single largest party in the April 10 Constituent Assembly election, will hold its central secretariat meeting tomorrow to work out a strategy for the formation of the post-election coalition government to be led by the party.

With the counting of votes still going on for the first-past-the-post and proportional representation systems, the Maoists are far ahead of other major parties in terms of seats and popular votes. This meeting is dubbed crucial as it is going to take place following the party’s stunning victory in the CA polls, which is expected to formally endorse the republican agenda passed by the interim parliament.

According to chief of the Maoists’ foreign department, CP Gajurel, who won the CA election from Sindhuli-2, the central secretariat would discuss who should become prime minister of the post-election coalition government, new government’s foreign policy and its relations with friendly countries, and the entire peace process, including the adjustment of the Maoist People’s Liberation Army.

Girl votes for Maoists, dad evicts her from home

Kathmandu, April 19, 2008

A CPN-UML cadre of Goldhunga VDC-9 in Kathmandu district has kicked out his daughter from his house for not voting for the party he is associated with.

Secretary of the local unit of the CPN (Maoist)-affiliated Dalit Mukti Morcha Saraswoti Guindel was kicked out from her home just because she voted for the party and candidate of her choice in the Constituent Assembly polls.

Saraswoti accused her father Govinda Guindel, who is affiliated with the Nepal Utpidit Jatiya Mukti Samaj of the CPN-UML, of scolding her on the polling day because she, along with her younger sister Sabitri Guindel, was working as a volunteer for the CPN-Maoist.

“Earlier, I thought he was behaving with me rudely because he was inebriated. I was shocked when he asked me to leave the house the next morning,” she told this correspondent. She said her father said he would not look after those children who do not obey him. “My father has embarrassed me several times in front of local people by using abusive words,” Saraswoti alleged. “He used to say that the Maoists will now provide everything to me and look after all my needs,” she said.

Sabitri, who is a student of BA first year at the Gongabu-based Pasang Lhamu Memorial College, accused her father of not providing her college fees and bus fare.