Almost all daily newspapers published in Kathmandu on Wednesday have given priority to political stories on their front pages. The UML’s decision to field Bidya Devi Bhandari as its candidate for President, Pakistani Prime Minister Abbasi’s visit to Nepal and the death of litterateur Indra Bahadur Rai have received considerable attention from the editors. Here’s a round up of reports that made it to the front pages today:
Important
UML-Maoists agree on forming 301-member central committee
The CPN-UML and Maoist Centre, allies of the Left Alliance have agreed to form a 301-member central committee after the two forces merge to form ‘Nepal Communist Party’. Similarly, an agreement has been reached to form three commissions at the centre. According to reports, a committee formed by the two parties to recommend the modality of the merger has proposed that the Politburo have 99 members and the standing committee 23.
Bhandari to get second term in office
President Bidya Devi Bhandari is certain to be re-elected as the country’s Head of State. Naya Patrika reports that a meeting of the standing committee was convened on Tuesday afternoon to choose the party’s candidate for the post. Both Khanal and Bhandari were believed to be in contention for the post. However, the party decided to pick Bhandari for the position following deliberations that went on till midnight.
Abbasi returns home
Pakistani Prime Minister Abbasi returned home on Tuesday after spending 20 hours in Nepal. According to Naya Patrika the Prime Minister took up a range of issues during talks with Nepali leaders. He is learnt to have said that Pakistan was ready to host the Saarc summit and invited President Bhandari to visit Pakistan. Issues related to OBOR, Pakistan’s stance on Kashmir and bilateral commercial relations were also discussed, the paper reports.
Ignored
Only 23 per cent development budget spent in eight months
Naya Patrika says that the government has only spent 23 per cent of its development budget in the first eight months of the current fiscal. The papers said that while the government has spend Rs 381 billion on recurrent expenditure, it has only spent Rs 77 billion as capital expenditure.
People still defecate in open in Prime Minister’s own district
Annapurna Post reports that people living in Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s own district Jhapa still defecate in the open. The paper reports that adequate toilets are yet to be build in Gauradaha, Jhapa, which falls under Oli’s constituency. The report says that of the 12,148 households in Gauradaha, more than 3,000 do not still have a toilet at home.
Hydropower station next door, people still rely on candles
Naya Patrika reports that although the mid-Marsyangdi Hydropower project in Lamjung genterates 70 MW of electricity, people living close to the power house are still relying on candle sticks and solar power to meet their lighting needs. The paper says that although the houses have been equipped with wires, authorities haven’t connected the area to the main grid.
