All major Nepali and English newspapers published from Kathmandu on Monday have prioritised contemporary political issues over others. Two major leftist parties of the country—CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist Centre—have not announced their unification as they had promised their polls and many newspapers have highlighted challenges in their unity bid. On the other hand, discussions about reforms have gained momentum in the Nepali Congress after its historic debacle in recent parliamentary elections. The new government is unlikely to be formed before mid-February. Different newspapers have covered these issues differently.
Important
‘Management of leaders’ a tough challenge for left alliance
Annapurna Post says the proposed unification between the UML and the Maoist Centre is likely to be delayed as a task force involving leaders of the two parties has failed to propose a structure in which all top leaders of both the parties get respectable positions.
It informs that names of Bidya Devi Bhandari. Jhala Nath Khanal and Subas Chandra Nembang are being discussed for presidential candidates whereas KP Sharma Oli is probably the single candidate for the Prime Minister. Pushpa Kamal Dahal wants to lead the new unified party. Likewise, one among Nembang, Onsari Gharti and Krishna Bahadur Mahara will be elected the speaker. Besides, assigning respectable responsibilities to Madhav Kumar Nepal, Ram Bahadur Thapa, Bamdev Gautam and Narayan Kaji Shrestha is also challenging, according to the report.
Meanwhile, The Himalayan Times reports that second-rung leaders of the parties have floated a proposal to share key positions. It adds that Gautam and Lal Babu Pandit are also being discussed as presidential candidates. The report informs that Oli and Dahal had a meeting on Friday to discuss post sharing.
Naya Patrika and Nepal Samacharpatra also say the unification process has been stuck in the division of responsibilities.
Rajdhani says preparations for the unification so far are limited to top leaders only. Another report in the same paper says district leaders have mounted pressure on the top leaders to conclude the unification process at the earliest.
Congress Mahasamiti likely after two months
Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba is unlikely to call a special convention of the party to facilitate the leadership handover. However, he is very likely to host a Mahasamiti meeting, the conclave of party leaders and cadres to formulate new rules and policies, after around two months to discuss the party’s role after its poor performance in recent parliamentary polls, according to Annapurna Post. Pro-Deuba leader Prakash Sharan Mahat has told the reporter that the special convention is not necessary; therefore Deuba will call the Mahasamiti meeting and the date will be decided by the Central Working Committee meeting.
The Kathmandu Post reports that Deuba comes down heavily on the party leaders who are saying that the party leadership should take moral responsibility for the loss. He says the party lost the polls due to internal reasons. Republica has also carried a similar report.
Election Commission launches probe into PR lists
Nepal Samacharpatra says the Election Commission has launched a probe after media reports claimed that political parties did not adhere to the order of closed list they had earlier submitted. The PR Election Office led by Secretary Begendra Raj Sharma Paudyal has begun the investigation, the report quotes the Commission’s spokesperson Dinesh Kumar Ghimire.
He says the investigation will be over today and political parties will be informed today itself if they need to rectify the lists.
Meanwhile, top leaders of major parties are facing a mounting backlash from within the parties to maintain transparently in the allocation of proportional representation seats for provincial assemblies, reports Republica.
Ignored
Government to double road tax
The Roads Board Nepal has recommended that the government double the tax to be collected from vehicle owners as road tax and the Ministry of Finance has approved the recommendation with a minor amendment, reports Karobar.
Now, the proposal has been forwarded to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructures and Transport and it will be implemented after the Ministry published a notice in the Nepal Gazette, according to the report.
Nepal human traffickers find new destination in South Africa
Human trafficking racketeers have begun trafficking people from Nepal as far as to South Africa also, Nepal Police has recently found. According to a report published in Naya Patrika, an educational consultancy operator was found trafficking people to South Africa assuring them of lucrative jobs. He has been recently arrested by police.
Interesting
Home Ministry prepares provincial administrative model
The Ministry of Home Affairs is preparing a plan to turn the existing administrative structure into the new model in line with the new federal structure the country has recently adopted, reports Gorkhapatra in its anchor story for the day. According to an understanding reached among stakeholders so far, each province will also have the Ministry of Home Affairs in the provincial government, according to MoHA spokesperson Narayan Prasad Sharma.
