Kathmandu, February 10, 2006

Umesh Chandra Thapa, who was killed in a shoot out in Dang during the municipal polls on February 8, was cremated at the Pashupati Aryaghat here today. People, including leaders of the seven-party alliance and hundreds of CPN-UML workers, paid their last tributes to Thapa who was associated with the party. Party leaders also addressed their cadres present at the Aryaghat in a ‘condolence speech.’ While Thapa’s near and dear ones were in a state of shock and grief, party leaders utilised the ceremony to deliver speeches and spoke against the King. Thapa, who has been declared a martyr by the party alliance as he was killed when boycotting the municipal polls, is survived by two sons and a 36-year-old wife, Laxmi. Laxmi was not in condition to speak. Other family members, however, said they were now worried about the education of Thapa’s sons. “We don’t know what the leaders are saying in their speeches; we don’t understand a thing. They have said they are with us, but have not assured us of the education of Thapa’s sons,” Uma Thapa, Thapa’s sister-in-law told this daily even as Nepali Congress leader, Ram Saran Mahat, was busy delivering his ‘condolence speech.’ Apart from supporting the family, Thapa’s wife and other elderly family members, wished the party also assisted Thapa’s elder son, who has passed an MBBS entrance exam, and his younger son, who is still a higher secondary student.

Manisha’s candidate bites the dust

Biratnagar, February 10, 2006

Bollywood actress Manisha Koirala’s efforts to get an independent mayoral candidate of Biratnagar Sub Metropolis, Binod Aryal, elected came to naught as his rivals got the better of him in the municipal elections. Residents of Biratnagar say the humiliating defeat of Aryal, who managed to secure only the third position in the polls, now rules out any hope and possibility of Manisha joining politics. A professor here, Gopal Bhandari, said Manisha’s image has suffered due to the poll fiasco. Manisha’s campaign in the run-up to the civic polls was protested all over the country with people burning her effigies and posters and calling on people to boycott her movies. Manisha, who mostly campaigned in the southern part of the sub metropolis, had also launched a ‘One vote, one autograph’ campaign for Aryal. Aryal received only 2,700 votes in the polls. “I’ll speak about the municipal polls later,” a distraught Aryal said when contacted for comments. A source in the Aryal family said Manisha had telephoned Aryal after the results were out and expressed her surprise. Manisha is scheduled to leave for Mumbai on Sunday. Pralhad Prasad Shah of the Home Minister Kamal Thapa-led Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) was elected the mayor with 7,645 votes.