Two prime issues that have been highlighted in the front page of major Nepali and English broadsheet today are the conclusion of proportional representation vote count for House of Representatives and provincial assemblies, and the request of leftist alliance to pave the way for new government formation. Other contemporary political, socio-cultural and economic issues have also been prioritised.
Important
Oli, Dahal to lead government turn by turn
CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and CPN-Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Sunday told Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and his Nepali Congress party not to create any hurdle for the formation of new government. Speaking at a press meet, the two leaders also emphasised that neither of them have any lust for powerful positions including the prime minister and the chairman of unified party. However, Republica says that Oli and Dahal have already made an agreement to lead the Cabinet turn by turn.
While inter-party negotiations are underway for other major positions including the president, speaker as well as chief ministers in six of seven states, it has already been agreed that Oli and Dahal will lead the government for 2.5 years each, according to the story. The leftist alliance is preparing to form provincial governments in six of seven provinces and the Maoist Centre is likely to lead two of such governments if the negation process moves forward as expected.
Quoting the party’s spokesperson Pampha Bhusal, the report says the Maoist Centre is advocating for its leadership in provinces 6 and 7.
RJPN and Forum-Nepal to send women only in PR seats
After the conclusion of proportional representation vote count, the tentative number of seats each party will get in federal House of Representatives and provincial assemblies has been known. Almost all newspapers have covered the issue in the front page with various charts and diagrams.
Because each party must allocate one third of their total strength in Parliament to women, Madheshi powerhouses Rastriya Janata Party Nepal and Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal have to send women only to the House under the PR system as all lawmakers of the parties elected under the FPTP are men. The two parties will send six women each, according to Rajdhani.
The Kathmandu Post says some parties which failed to secure their seats in the House of Representatives will be present in various provincial assemblies. It has been so as the threshold for provincial parliamentary berth is half the threshold set for House of Representatives, the report informs, adding Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Democratic, Rastriya Janamorcha, Nepal Workers and Peasants Party, Bibeksheel Sajha Party among others will have some seats in provincial assemblies.
Nagarik and Annapurna Post highlight that the Nepali Congress will become the second largest party in Parliament though it was restricted to the third position in the first-past-the-post polls as it gained almost equal votes to the UML in the PR system.
Ignored
Fog obstructs Terai flights
Nepal Samacharpatra lead story for the day says dense fog has been obstructing flights to and from Terai districts for last few days. Quoting the spokesperson at Tribhuvan International Airport, Prem Nath Thakur, the report informs that flights to and from all airports in Terai except the Bharatpur Airport have been affected by bad weather for last three days.
Busiest airports of the country including those in Biratnagar, Bhairahawa, Nepalgunj and Dhangadhi have failed to operate regular flights, according to officials.
Supplies Ministry awaits Finance’s approval for Chinese fuel import
During the 2015 Indian blockade, discussions were intense that Nepal should begin importing fuel from China. The government even brought some tankers via the Kyirong entry point. But, procedures to import fuel from the northern neighbour regularly are yet to begin thanks to lack of coordination between government agencies, Abhiyan reports in its lead story for the day.
The Ministry of Supplies had authorised the National Trading Limited for the import, but the NTL has been unable to work on it for the Ministry of Finance is yet to give consent to the decision, according to the report.
APF wants to create provincial structures
The paramilitary Armed Police Force wants to expand its structure to the provincial level after Nepal Police began preparations for that, Nagarik reports. The constitution says Nepal Police will have provincial structures, but says Nepali Army and Armed Police Force will be operated under the federal government. Nonetheless, the APF has been lobbying for change the provision and expand its structure, according to the report. If the lobbying becomes successful, the operational cost will increase by Rs 50 million per year.
Interesting
Thamel porters benefit from vehicle ban
It has been almost two months since the Kathmandu Metropolitan City in cooperation with local traders imposed a ban on entry of vehicles to inner roads of Thamel and it has been very helpful for porters working there, reports Republica in its anchor story.
The report says the number of porters has significantly increased after the introduction of ‘walk-only zone’ provision.
