Baburam Bhattarai and Upendra Yadav uniting to form Samajbadi Party Nepal has been featured in most national dalies along with news of the president being criticised by opposition for using ‘my government’ during her address at the Policy and Programmes announcement ceremony on Friday.
Here is a summary of important, ignored and interesting stories from the front pages of national broadsheets:
Important
Bhattarai and Yadav unite to form Samajbadi Party Nepal
Kantipur, The Himalayan Times, Republica and The Kathmandu Post report that two years after a failed attempt, Baburam Bhattarai and Upendra Yadav have finally found a common ground and decided to merge their parties—Naya Shakti Party-Nepal and Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum-Nepal—to create a new force, Samajbadi Party Nepal.
The two parties in recent days had expedited talks to merge their parties, and on Thursday, Bhattarai and Yadav held a meeting, also joined by the Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal and Janamukti Party, which according to leaders, set the tone for the unification of the two parties. Leaders said the merger was necessitated by an apparent lack of a “strong third force” and that the unified Samajabadi Party Nepal will strive towards creating an “alternative force” in the country.
NC questions use of ‘my government’ 
Kantipur, The Himalayan Times and Republica report that the main opposition party Nepali Congress (NC) has demanded the government to replace the words ‘my government’ in the policy and program unveiled by the president on Friday with ‘Nepal government’.
The NC on Saturday registered an amendment at the parliament secretariat seeking to replace the objectionable phrase used by the president with something more acceptable to all. Altogether three political parties have registered six amendments to the government’s policy and programs.
However, Gorkhapatra, Nagarik and Naya Patrika report that Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has defended President Bidya Devi Bhandari’s use of the phrase ‘my government’ while unveiling the policies and programs of the government. The Prime Minister while talking with reporters on Saturday morning said that dragging the President into controversy was the ridicule of democracy. He added that Heads of State using the phrase was an international practice.
Ignored
Court verdict hands river to a private individual
Kantipur reports that Bhaktapur District Court in a controversial verdict has handed over 17 ropani land which includes the Manohara river under a person’s name. Judge Mohammand Junaid Azad last year ordered Land Reform Office, Bhakatapur to hand over the land to Gyan Bahadur Thapa.
Azad, without proper proof, passed the verdict to give Thapa the land. The land was under the government’s name until 2053.
Nepal Airlines to fly to Narita after Osaka
Karobar reports that Nepal Airlines which will be flying to Osaka is also seeking permission to fly to another city in Japan, Narita. If it does get the permission, it flies two flights a week to both destinations. NAC will be flying to Osaka from July 4 onwards and the aircraft will take off from Kathmandu at 2.30 am.
Nepal Army investigating educational certificates
Annapurna Post reports that Nepal Army is looking into its staffers’ educational certificates. NA is looking into SLC/SEE certificates of its officials and cadets. After this, the officials higher education certificated will be investigated by the army headquarters. This is the first time that such activity is being carried out by the Nepal Army.
Interesting
Post-earthquake reconstruction won’t be complete in a year
The Kathmandu Post reports that National Reconstruction Authority and its subordinate offices show Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s claim of completing post-earthquake reconstruction is nowhere close to reality.
NRA says that it will take at least two more years for the reconstruction of quake-destroyed structures to complete if the needed budget is secured on time. Four years after the disaster, there is still a shortfall of Rs 629 billion, which is 67 percent of the total estimated cost by the Post-disaster Recovery Framework prepared by the reconstruction authority. The total budget spent on the reconstruction drive will reach Rs 309 billion by the end of the current fiscal year. The reconstruction authority aims to mobilise Rs 200 billion in the upcoming fiscal year from different sources, including around Rs 160 billion from the government’s regular budget.
Mountaineers gear up for summit as Fani weakens
Republica reports that weather across the country including the mountain region has shown signs of returning to normal as Cyclone Fani weakened after crossing the coastal area of Calcutta, India. The Meteorological Forecasting Division (MFD) informed that the cyclone has weakened after crossing Calcutta. The forecasting division said the weather will improve gradually from Sunday.
It said light to moderate rain is likely to occur at some places of the eastern region with thundershowers at a few places. It has ruled out the possibility of any major rainfall and snow.
