Most broadsheet dailies (both in Nepali and English) have given prominent space to the split in the CPN-Maoist (Revolutionary) following party general secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa’s decision to form a new party to pave the way for unification with like-minded parties, including the UCPN-Maoist.

Important 

Mohan Baidhya’s party formally splits 

Rajdhani, The Himalayan Times and Nepal Samacharpatra have given prominent space to CPN-Maoist (Revolutionary) general secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa’s decision to form a new political party so that like-minded Maoist groups can unite under a single flag.

The Himalayan Times in its two-column story below the fold, says that a five-member party unification coordination committee has been formed to expedite the process. The report says that CPN-Maoist (Revolutionary) general secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa (Badal) held convened the party’s central committee meeting on Saturday and decided by majority vote to split the party. The same report says that a Central Committee meeting of the UCPN-M has also endorsed the 13-point bases, prepared earlier, for party unification.

Nepal Samacharpatra in its box story for the day says four separate Maoist groups are preparing to announce the formation of a new united political party on May 19. The report, however, says that the Matrika Yadav group has opted out of the process citing the agitation in Madhesh. Rajdhani‘s report also says that the parties are going to convene a joint convention on May 19.

Parties still divided over Parliamentary hearing procedures

The Himalayan Times and Annapurna Post have given prominent space to reports on the lack of progress in negotiations between political parties to reach an agreement on the number of lawmakers who are to take part in Parliamentary hearings.

The Himalayan Times, in its report says, “A high-level meeting of major political parties today failed to forge consensus on the disputed issues of Parliamentary Regulations as the ruling and the opposition parties stuck to their old stances on the strength of the Parliamentary Hearing Committee.”

Ignored 

Entire bazaar swept away

Annapurna Post in its lead story for the day, says a flash flood has swept away an entire bazaar in Dahikhola, which lies on the border between Dailekh and Kalikot. The report says that at least one person has lost his life due to the flood. The report quotes a local police official to say that property worth millions of rupees may have been damaged by the floods.