Sitaram Yechuri coming

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 1 May: As India attempts recover from a reverse with victory of Nepal’s Maoists in the 10 April assembly polls, CPI (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechuri arrives Thursday for consultations with Nepal’s top political players.
Yechuri has extensive relations with Nepal’s communist leaders, including Dr Baburam Bhattarai.
Indian government, accused by main opposition BJP for seconding New Delhi’s strategic interests in Nepal to Indian communists, has discarded him as its pointman and chose instead to push interests through former ambassador Shyam Saran and leaders of other political parties, including Congress (I).
Yechuri comes at a time when hurdles have appeared in assembling a government.
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala is reluctant to hand-over power to Chairman Prachanda as leader of the largest party in the 601-member constituent assembly arguing a hung parliament emerged after elections.
Continuity of Maoists in government is ensured once installed in Singha Durbar without amending a provision in the constitution that says a government can’t be ousted without a two-third majority in the interim parliament.
India has officially pushed for a national unity government.
Koirala has been quoted as saying India and USA have told him not to hand-over power to Maoists.
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Dutch tourist injured

Kathmandu, 1 May: A Dutch tourist was mauled by a leopard in his lodge overnight after straying out of the Chitwan National Park.
First reports said several lodge employees were also injured.
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