January 1

SJMM has intensified extortion drive in Itahari, Dharan, Hasposa and Sunsari District, causing terror among the business community and Government officials in the District. A trader based in Itahari informed that the outfit has sought anywhere between NNR 10,000 and 10,000 from local traders like him. The business community has expressed dismay at Police?s inability to track down the cadres, though the outfit has written to all entrepreneurs in Itahari and Sunsari District.

January 2

The cadres belonging to the Limbuwan State Council (LSC) assaulted Mina Pun, a CA member from the RJP, and other party activists while they were taking part in her party?s programme at the Damak Chowk of Jhapa District. The CA member Pun said more than 100 Limbuwan cadres chased her and supporters of her party and seized the banner, pamphlets and other materials. Admitting that his cadres had intervened in the programme, Lok Sagar Sanba, a leader of LSC, said they will not allow anyone to organise programmes against federalism.

A meeting of the UCPN-M Standing Committee concluded with few decisions on revision of responsibilities of some top party leaders, reports Nepal News. "The meeting took a few decisions on the party's organisational set-up and work division of some leaders," Maoist spokesperson Dinanath Sharma told reporters after the meeting.

The chairman of UCPN-M Prachanda clarified that the party has not decided to take action disciplinary against Vice-chairman Baburam Bhattarai. Speaking at a programme in Kathmnadu, Prachanda said, "The reports appearing in the media that our party has decided to take disciplinary action against Bhattarai are false. We have not taken any decision on this regard yet."

January 3

Chief of foreign department of Krishna Bahadur Mahara talked about the possibility of country facing a "constitutional crisis" following the departure of the UNMIN before the completion of its mandate. He said this was so because the UN political mission has become an integral part of the interim constitution.

January 4

The UCPN-M sent a second missive strongly objecting to the Government request for transfer of UNMIN assets along with arms and ammunition of the Maoist combatants cantoned in seven different camps under UN supervision. The second Maoist letter comes after the contents of the Government letter sent on December 31, 2010, to the world body became public.

January 5

The Central Committee meeting of the UCPN-M failed to reconcile Chairman Prachanda and Vice Chairman Baburam Bhattarai. Bhattarai stuck to his stand on the immediate action plan, peace and constitution, organisational reshuffling and other issues, where as Prachanda?s new document stressed on peace and constitution, but Bhattarai termed it unclear and wrote a note of dissent.

Prachanda said that the ruling parties as well as India are trying to scotch the peace and constitution writing processes. Speaking on the last day of the three-day CC meet, Prachanda said, "NC, CPN-UML and foreign forces want to prolong the tenure of the caretaker Government even after May 28."

January 6

The cadres of the MJF Nepal assaulted a team of RJM activists led by senior leader Rashmiraj Nepali in Birgunj area of Parsa District. Issuing a press statement in Kathmandu, RJM Chairman Chitra Bahadur K. C. condemned the ?violent and undemocratic act? against its cadres by the MJF cadres. The RJM has been conducting a nationwide campaign "for peace, nationalism and republicanism" and against federalism.

UCPN-M proposed for a different unit of the UN to take over the role of UNMIN after its term expires on January 15 as its efforts to convince the other parties and the UN to extend the UNMIN term failed.

UCPN-M said that it can accept a domestic mechanism to replace UNMIN if other parties give continuity to the monitoring of both the NA and the Maoist PLA. In the three-party talks at the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction, UCPN-M Chairman Prachanda proposed the mechanism be assigned to replicate UNMIN?s core task ? monitoring NA and PLA and their arms.

First-phase withdrawal of 35 UNMIN arms monitors from seven Maoist cantonments started. The withdrawal of the arms monitors comes a day after the UNMIN reduced its monitoring activities to seven main cantonment sites.

January 7

A bomb squad of Nepal Army aided by Nepal Police personnel defused a bomb planted at the Manamaiju VDC office in Kathmandu. A previously unheard militant outfit called ?United Nations Morcha? was suspected to have planted the bombs in the building as the leaflets of the outfit were found scattered in the place.

Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal alleged that the UNMIN has become a medium of fund collection for the UCPN-M. He claimed that the report presented by UNMIN Chief Karen Landgren before the UNSC was the outcome of the intention to defame Nepal. Briefing to the UNSC on Nepal?s peace process on January 5, Landgren had said unprecedented gains in Nepal were unlikely to be reversed, but warned of a prospect of extreme measures either by Maoists, the Army or the President.

Chairman of the UCPN-M Prachanda and the vice-chairman Mohan Baidhya made a fresh call for a struggle to achieve the party?s mission ? national independence and People?s Republic. On the other hand, Vice-Chairman Baburam Bhattarai proposed to tread the middle path between the two extremes ? parliamentary system of NC, CPN-UML and other parties and people?s democratic system of UCPN-M.

January 10

Police says that an outfit of former PLA combatants of the UCPN-M calling itself the People's Liberation Army Former Soldiers' Unity Organisation (PLAFSUG) was suspected of running various crime rackets in Jhapa District. Police believe that the outfit is largely comprised of disqualified Maoist combatants and it is involved in crimes like extortion, abduction and robbery in the Dstrict. Mechi Zonal Police Chief Raviraj Shrestha said the authorities have found direct involvement of the outfit in various crimes that took place in Jhapa in the past couple of months. He also claimed that the fighters at the Chulachuli-based camp of the PLA in Ilam District were harbouring the outfit.

UCPN-M is likely to remove its ANTUF President Salikram Jamarkattel for his malpractices and incompetence. The move is part of an internal power struggle that has led to the demand for reshuffling by the party's two Vice Chairmen Mohan Baidya and Babauram Bhattarai to remove powerful individuals close to the party chairman Prachanda from lucrative wings of the party. The Baidya and Bhattarai factions have threatened they will form a parallel trade union if Jamarkattel, who is close to Party Chairman Prachanda, is not removed.

The chairman of the UCPN-M Prachanda said that his party is prepared to hand over the command control of cantonments to the Prime Minister-led Special Committee overseeing the Maoist combatants before UNMIN scheduled departure on January 15. The three steps he suggested include organising a special ceremony to formally mark the transfer of the chain of command to the Special Committee, the regrouping of combatants into two different categories (those opting for integration and those opting for rehabilitation), and finalising the norms and modalities for integration.

All Madhesh-based political parties except the MJF decided to vote for NC candidate Ram Chandra Poudel in the Prime Ministerial election scheduled for January 12.

The UCPN-M and CPN-UML forged a consensus to vote against the only Prime Ministerial candidate Ram Chandra Poudel if the latter's candidacy was not withdrawn, informed the UCPN-M vice chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha.

January 11

The three major parties ?UCPN-M, NC CPN-UML have given a final shape to the taskforce they formed to forge consensus for a political mechanism to complete the task of army integration and advice the Government on various issues related to the peace process after UNMIN scheduled departure on January 15. The taskforce which the three major parties had decided to form last week comprises a total of six members - two representatives each party. From UCPN-M Vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha and leader Barsha Man Pun are in the taskforce. Minister for Culture and Parliamentary Affaris Minendra Rijal and Energy Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat will represent NC in the taskforce while Home Minsiter Bhim Rawal and CPN-UML leader Ishwor Pokharel will represent its party.

January 12

The JMMP cadres detonated a bomb at a house of a local, Shiva Puja Sah, at Tegraha Village Development Committee-3 (VDC) of Rautahat District. Soon after the explosion, JMMP ?Central Chairman? Bhagat Singh telephoned the Police and owned up the responsibility of the explosion.

Nepali Congress (NC) withdrew its candidacy from the Prime Ministerial poll for what it calls to enhance politics of consensus and unity among the political parties. NC leader Sher Bahadur Deuba, who had proposed Ram Chandra Poudel?s candidacy, announced that the party decided to withdraw the candidacy for a consensus Government. The House unanimously passed Deuba?s proposal.

January 13

The Parliament endorsed the formation of a five-member committee to make necessary preparations for amendment to the House regulations aimed at starting the new process to elect the prime minister

The Committee for International Relations and Human Rights of the Parliament directed the Government to form a "reliable mechanism" for the effective inspection and monitoring of arms and personnel of both Nepal Army and PLA before the scheduled exit of UNMIN on Jan 15.

The meeting of the Special Committee for supervision, integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants failed to take a decision on monitoring of the peace process after the departure of the UNMIN.

January 14

The UCPN-M requested UNMIN chief Karin Landgren to decide on providing technical support for the Army Integration Special Committee even after its departure from Nepal.

January 16

The standing committee meeting of the UCPN-M decided to hold parleys with the parties for a Maoist-led consensus Government. President Ram Baran Yadav on January 15 asked the parties to decide on a consensus Government within a week. "The party will stick to its previous decision to present Chairman Prachanda as the new Prime Minister (PM)," said UCPN-M Spokesperson Dinanath Sharma after the meeting. Standing Committee member close to Vice-Chairman Baburam Bhattarai, Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, proposed Bhattarai as the leader of the parliamentary party and new PM.

Intra-party rivalries deepen within the UCPN-M as the Vice Chairman Baburam Bhattarai and his supporters boycotted the party cadres' training session held at Bhrikuti Mandap of Kathmandu after the party establishment barred him from airing his views. Seven other leaders, including party spokesperson Dinanath Sharma and Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, who had signed the note of dissent along with Bhattarai, also boycotted the session. Party Secretary C. P. Gajurel later termed the incident 'a mishap'.

The chairman of the UCPN-M Prachanda suggested that the party would go for four preparations and four bases for the people's revolt to achieve the party's tactical line of people's federal republic. A cadre of the UCPN-M also claimed that Dahal was for expanding the number of YCL up to 500,000. He also claimed that the bases for revolt were ripe and preparations were a must.

The Supreme Court stayed the Government's move to arrest and prosecutes 21 cadres of the UCPN-M on murder charges during the insurgency period. A division bench of Justices Top Bahadur Magar and Mohan Prakash Sitaula issued the order. The bench directed, "Not to arrest and detain the defendants and to maintain the status quo till the limitation of time of submitting written explanations from the defendants or till the expiry of limitation of time."

The chairman of UCPN-M Prachanda agreed to hand over the PLA camps to the Special Committee for Supervision, Integration and Rehabilitation of Maoist combatants on January 22. Prachanda set the date for the handover ceremony at Shaktikhor, during his meeting with the Prime Minister.

Prachanda claimed that vice-chairman of UCPN-M Baburam Bhattarai misinterpreted the decision of the party's Central Committee (CC) regarding management of dissenting views within the party. The Standing Committee (SC) has decided to convene a meeting of the politburo and the CC both on January 19 and 20 respectively to discuss the tug-of-war between Prachanda and Bhattarai factions.

The Central Chairman of the MJF, Upendra Yadav, said that the UCPN-M advocating the rights of the proletariats was not willing to make constitution from the Constituent Assembly. He said, "As the Maoist wants to move ahead with people's revolution, it wants the constitution to suit its interest." Once the new constitution is written, the Madheshi, indigenous and marginalized classes will be provided every right, he said, accusing the big three parties of eclipsing the peace process.

The PLA of the UCPN-M is scheduled to be handed over to the Prime Minister led Special Committee at the Shaktikhor cantonment site on January 22, 2011. "This is a significant event in the peace process," said UCPN-M Standing Committee leader Barsha Man Pun. "The executive head of the country will take ownership of the PLA by attending the ceremony."

MJF Chairman Upendra Yadav said that the rotational leadership of Government proposed by the three major parties is harmful to the country. Speaking at a press conference of his party, Yadav said all 28 parties represented in the Constituent Assembly should get to lead the Government if the rotational system is adopted. "In such a situation, how many days a party gets to head the government?'' Yadav said a consensus government is the priority of his party, but hastened to add that a majority dispensation will do if it offers a way out of the political impasse.

Police arrested two including a cadre of YCL from Swoyambhu in Kathmandu on the charge of abducting Khagendra Phuyal (28) of Jhapa District. The arrested have been identified as Pasang Moktan (33) of Parsa District and Dhan Bahadur Limbu (31) of Morang District. According to the DSP Hridaya Thapa, Dhan Bahadur Limbu is an active cadre of YCL. Limbu in association with Moktan, a central member of so-called National Liberation Movement Nepal, had abducted Phuyal from Thamel of Kathmandu on January 19.

Vice-chairman of the UCPN-M Baburam Bhattarai wrote yet another 'note of dissent' at the party Central Committee (CC) meet, expressing reservations over the conclusion that he breached the party discipline. Leaders close to Bhattarai bloc lashed out at the party decision after a majority of Maoist central members said Bhattarai made a mistake and should apologise for that.

An unknown armed group shot dead a cadre belonging to the UCPN-M Bhojpura State Committee, identified as Rukshana Khatun (35), in Rautahat District.

Police made public four operatives of a newly formed armed outfit, who were recently detained for their involvement in extortion. Of the detainees, Rahish Dhapali alias Abhyan Singh (25) of Nepalgunj-12 is the chairman of the Banke-Bardiya chapter of the Nepal Marxbadi Ganatantrik Yuba Tiger (NMGYT) and Kamalesh Chand alias Bikram Singh (27) is the Banke-Bardiya area secretary of the outfit from Holiya-9.

Chairman of the UCPN-M Prachanda claimed that the country would get a consensus Government under his party leadership within five days. "The chances of the Maoist-led consensus Government within five days are high. There is sufficient ground for this," the Maoist chief told media persons at a conference organised by Revolutionary Journalists' Union in Hetauda.

January 24

The inauguration of the Upper Tamakoshi Hydro Electricity Project got postponed due to the protest threat by Dolakha wing of the UCPN-M. The Dolakha District committee of UCPN-M had demanded that the organiser call off the programme in a press conference in Charikot, Dolakha. They had even threatened to obstruct the programe if the organiser went ahead with the programme. They alleged Government irregularities in organising the inauguration.

After the PLA official handed over to the Special Committee (for supervision, integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants), the Supreme Court (SC) gave final shape to its monitoring mechanism. A meeting of SC named members of the monitoring mechanism that comprises four representatives each from SC and its Secretariat and one from PLA combatants. Barsha Man Pun of the UCPN-M, Ram Sharan Mahat of Nepali Congress (NC), Ishwor Pokharel of Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) and Jitendra Dev of Madheshi Janadhikar Forum-Democratic (MJF-D) will represent SC in the nine-member monitoring mechanism. Balananda Sharma of NC, Chandra Prakash Khanal of UCPN-M, Gopal Singh Bohara of CPN-UML and Mahesh B Karki of the Nepali Army will join the mechanism from the Secretariat. In addition, PLA commander Nanda Kishor Pun will represent the UCPN-M.

January 25

Cadres belonging to the UCPN-M abducted six activists of both NC and CPN-UML in Udayapur District. According to reports, UCPN-M cadres abducted NC activist Dik Bahadur Thapa (45), CPN-UML Lafa village committee chairman Kamal Rai (28), CPN-UML activists Parsuram Thapa (30), Kesar Rai(16), Karna Bahadur Rai (25) and his father Chunuklal Rai. The abduction followed the beating of Dhan Bahadaur Rai at the wedding ceremony of Ram Bahadur Rai, a local.

A top parliamentary panel in Nepal on January 25 approved key changes in the rules for electing a Prime Minister that would make it mandatory to vote for a new leader in the House poll, amid a deadlock that has left the country without a Government for nearly seven months. Under the recommendations, lawmakers will not be allowed to abstain, attendance will be mandatory, and the Parliamentary speaker will be able to disqualify candidates after three failed rounds of voting.

January 27

Rashtriya Janmorcha Nepal the only political party in the Constituent Assembly standing against federalism, went for a vertical split with the party's Bagmati zone in charge Min Nath Devkota announcing a new party. Devkota announced the new party, named Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist-Leninist) Nationalist (CPN-ML-N) with 31 central committee members amid a press meet organised in Kathmandu- the national capital.

January 28

Meanwhile, the Nepal Army said that it is not against the integration of former PLA into the National Army, adding that the Army has conveyed its willingness to abide by any decision taken by the parties for concluding the peace process.

The Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal said that the UCPN-M will turn into a "civilian party" once the Maoist PLA combatants move out of the cantonments, thereby completing the integration and rehabilitation of the combatants. "Although it took a bit longer time, but we succeeded in creating an environment of trust," said the Prime Minister inaugurating 'Lekhnath Festival' in Kaski District.

January 30

The leader of CPN-UML K. P. Oli remarked that the UCPN-M has no alternative other than mending its ways. Addressing the Parsa District assembly of the party?s youth organisation in Birgunj, he claimed that the Maoists are not in a position to go for a revolt or back to jungle as it says every so often. He further said that the Maoist youth front YCL itself has stopped believing that the party will go for a people's revolt.

Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) Chhatra Man Singh Gurung asked leaders to consider the sensitivity of the professionalism and apolitical nature of the Nepal Army while taking political decisions on the modality of Army integration.

The ?chairman? of the UCPN-M Prachanda claimed that the new Government would not be formed even by February 6, 2011. He claimed that other parties were hatching conspiracies, despite Maoists? efforts to form the new Government on time. "Some parties are trying to foil our efforts by convincing their lawmakers to cast invalid votes," he alleged.

Stating that his party would continue its struggle until people?s rights have been ensured, vice-chairman of the UCPN-M, Baburam Bhattarai, warned other political parties not to hope for his party? surrender. He claimed that parties had been plotting to prevent the single largest party from leading the next Government.

February 1

10 students of Mahendra Higher Secondary School in Gorkha District were injured in an attack by the YCL. UCPN-M Gorkha constituency-1 in-charge Sakar, sub-in-charge Nischal, YCL Gorkha chairman Ramesh Pokhrel were present when the students were assaulted. The attack by the YCL took place after the School decided to remove a teacher of irregularities.

UCPN-M and the CPN-UML declared their candidates for the election to the post of Prime Minister (PM) slated for February 3, 2011. A SC meeting of the UCPN-M decided to forward its chairman Prachanda and a CC meeting of CPN-UML decided to forward its chairman Jhala Nath Khanal for the post. NC, however, is yet to take a decision on the PM election.

February 2

Four nominations for the post of PM from the UCPN-M, CPN-UML, NC and UDMF have been registered at the Parliament secretariat of the legislature-parliament. A SC meeting of the UCPN-M decided to forward its chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda and a CC meeting of CPN-UML decided to forward its chairman Jhala Nath Khanal for the post. The NC has proposed Ram Chandra Poudel for the PM post where as Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar has nominated representing UDMF.

Seven fringe parties represented in the Constituent Assembly (CA) have decided to lend support to UCPN-M Chairman Prachanda in the PM elections. The seven parties ? CPN-ML- Samajbadi, NRP, NJD, Nepal Sadbhawana Party Anandi Devi Faction, CPN-Unified, RJP, and SLRM?took the decision to this effect after the meeting convened with the Maoist top brass.

Prachanda, continuing efforts to garner majority votes, convened a meet with MJF Chairman Upendra Yadav and appealed for support in the PM elections.

February 3

CPN-UML chairman Jhala Nath Khanal was elected Prime Minister by the Legislature Parliament. Khanal got elected as the 34^th Prime Minister through a parliament voting as the largest party in the Parliament. The UCPN-Maoist, which had fielded its chairman Prachanda for the post of the Prime Minister, decided through an emergency standing committee meeting to withdraw Dahal?s candidacy and support Khanal. The UCPN-Maoist and CPN-UML has 237 and 107 Member of Parliaments respectively.

February 4

Police arrested three former cadres of PLA from Bardanda of Syangja District with weapons. According to District Police Office, Syangja, the police recovered a Chinese pistol and three rounds of bullets from them. The arrested PLAs have been identified as Sajan Magar (23) of Sirujha in Rukum District, Ash Bahadur Magar (30) of Shreegandaki and Narayan Aryal (24) of Thumpokhara of Syangja District.

MJF said the party will join the new Government led by CPN-UML if the latter agrees to address Madheshi demands and respect previous pacts between the Government and Madheshi parties. Clarifying his party's decision to boycott PM election, MJF chairman Updendra Yadav set such condition to join the Government led by CPN-UML chairman Jhala Nath Khanal. "If UML assures us completion of remaining tasks of the ongoing peace process, promulgation of new statute and addressing the Madheshi issues, the MJF will decide to join the Government," Yadav clarified while addressing a programme in Kathmandu.

The vice-chairman of the UCPN-M Baburam Bhattarai panel decided to boycott the new Government. Terming Khanal?s victory as a conspiracy, the panel confirmed that it will not be participating in the new Government. pro-Bhattarai Standing Committee (SC) member said that it is morally wrong to be a part of the new Government as Bhattarai along with three SC members and 54 CA members have written a ?note of dissent? after the chairman of UCPN-M Prachanda made a last-moment-decision to support Khanal.

February 5

Four Madhesh-based parties have decided not to join the new Government led by CPN-UML. MJF-L, SP and TMLP, who had voted for Bijaya Kumar Gachhadhar of MJF-L in the Prime Ministerial election, will sit in opposition. TMLP-N, a splinter group of TMLP, has also decided to remain in opposition. TMLP-N Chairman Mahendra Prasad Yadav said his party will not be part of the new Government. "Currently, we have no intention to join this Government. I object to media reports that speculated my admission in the new Cabinet," Yadav said.

Leaders of the UCPN-M threatened not to join the Government if it failed to abide by the agreement made with CPN-UML Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal. "If we don?t get home ministry as agreed upon earlier, why should we join the Government?" questioned UCPN-M Secretary C.P. Gajurel.

A seven-point agreement signed ahead of the Prime Ministerial election on February 3 by UCPN-M Prachanda and CPN-UML chairman Jhala Nath Khanal leading to Prachanda?s withdrawal from the PM race and Khanal?s election has been revealed. The seventh-point of the written agreement dated February 3, 2011 mentions, it has been agreed that the UCPN-M will vote for the CPN-UML candidate for the post of Prime Minister in the ongoing Prime Ministerial election process. CPN-UML leaders, particularly outgoing Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and K.P. Oli are fumed over the agreement and have accused the party chairman of bypassing the party bodies while taking the decision.

February 6

An unidentified group shot dead, Paltu Mahato (49), a UCPN-M cadre in Yagyabhumi VDC-4, in northern part of Dhanusha District.

February 7

A CPN-UML cadre of Dulari in Morang District was shot dead by an unidentified assailant or a group in the night. The dead body of Bhuwan Bahadur Karki (23) was found near Budhikohola of Itahari in Sunsari District next morning.

Cadres of the NC continued their demonstration in Itahari in Sunsari District for the second straight day demanding action against CPN-UML-aligned Youth Force cadre Rupensh Bajgain for assaulting Itahari Municipality Chairman of NC, Hemkarna Poudel. Bajgain had allegedly manhandled Poudel on February 5.

The Standing Committee (SC) member of the UCPN-M Dev Gurung warned that the alliance between his party and the CPN-UML could falter if the latter fails to commit towards the implementation of the seven-point pact. At a program organized by the Reporter?s Club in Kathmandu, Gurung said that Maoists will only support the Government but will not be a part if that UML does not keep its vows.

The UCPN-M chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda refuted the reports that the Cabinet could not take shape on February 6 owing to differences between CPN-UML and UCPN-M over sharing powerful portfolios. After a meeting between the two parties at the UML parliamentary party office in Kathmandu, Prachanda claimed that his party has not staked claim to any particular ministries, and made it clear that his party is not going to make power-sharing an issue.

February 8

Sikendra Prasad Yadav (40), an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of Police was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Bara District. Meanwhile, a central leader of the JTMM-G, Jitendra Tiwari, telephoned the local media persons in Bara and claimed responsibility for the killing saying ASI Yadav was shot dead "as a warning to State".

Police arrested a cadre belonging JTMM, identified as Dhirendra Kushawaha, along with four others when they were on an extortion drive in Birgunj of Parsa District. According to the Police, five of them were demanding money from a jewellery shop in the name of JTMM.

The UCPN-M and the CPN-UML agreed to offer a "common explanation" of the seven-point deal before the formation of the Cabinet. The two parties reached the conclusion after Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal proposed amendment to some provisions in the agreement in line with the party?s Standing Committee?s decision on February 7. In face of opposition from the NC, the two leaders had claimed the ownership of the deal and announced that it would be implemented by the Government.

February 9

A group of about 10 discharged combatants of the PLA ransacked the Dhagadhi-based office of the UNHCR in Kailali District. The PLA combatants in the act said they attacked the UN office after authorities failed to rehabilitate them as promised. Police arrested seven persons in connection with the incident.

February 10

A bomb went off at Gauri Shanker Enterprises at Aspataalroad in Gulariya, the headquarters of Bardiya District. According to Police, armed underground force in Tarai detonated a bomb at a tractor shop of one Biru Chawdhary partially damaging the shop. However, no casualty was reported.

Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal said concluding the peace process and constitution-drafting will be the top priorities of his Government. Addressing the Parliament in the evening, Khanal said he would take initiatives to forge broad consensus to make sure that the constitution is written within the stipulated time. According to him, the integration of the UCPN-M combatants will start very soon. "Steps will be taken to initiate integration and rehabilitation within a few days," he hoped. He told the Parliament that the Government would abide by the seven-point agreement reached with the UCPN-Maoist. Khanal also asked the NC and other parties to join the Government, adding that utmost flexibility would be maintained for the sake of consensus. "Although late, a majority Government has been formed. But this does not mean the essence of consensus is over," he said, adding, "I call upon Nepali Congress and other parties to join the Government.

Speaking at the Parliament, UCPN-M deputy parliamentary leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha said his party had decided not to join the Government because of confusing position of the CPN-UML towards the seven-point agreement based on which the UCPN-M party had supported Khanal for Prime Minister. Saying that the UCPN-Maoist would continue its support to the Government for now, but long-term support would depend on how the Government implements the seven-point pact.

Top leaders of largest three parties in the Constituent Assembly ? the UCPN-M, NC and CPN-UML ? are going to Cambodia in the last week of February for talks on the ongoing peace process. The International Conference of Asian Political Parties and the Cambodian Government are jointly organizing the talks of Nepali leaders. The talks will be held in the presence of Chinese, Indian and Japanese representatives.

February 11

The UCPN-M reiterated that it won?t join the Government until the CPN-UML expresses its commitment to implement the seven-point agreement signed between the two parties just before February 3 prime ministerial election. A meeting of the Maoist standing committee approved the decision of the party leadership not to join the Government. "The party has decided to ask the UML to clarify its position on the seven-point agreement," Maoist spokesperson Dina Nath Sharma told. Meanwhile, the Standing Committee also decided to resume the cadre training programme which had been cancelled following internal dispute. It also decided to mark the ?people?s war day? on February 13.

The Maoist General Secretary C. P. Gajurel clarified that his party will not join the CPN-UML Government unless the letter and spirit implementation of the seven-point agreement signed before the Government formation is guaranteed. He added that his party is not in a position to be a part of the Government without the Home Ministry. He revealed that there was a deal to allocate 15 ministries, including the Home, to the Maoists on the basis of proportional representation. However, he made it clear that his party is not in favour of immediately toppling the Government formed with its backing. "We are not in favour of toppling the Government formed after a long effort," said the Maoist leader.

NC member Bhishma Raj Angdembe hinted at lending support to sustain the Government. "The NC will take an appropriate decision for peace and constitution building by playing the role of a responsible party," said the NC leader.

The MJF laid out conditions to join the CPN-UML-led Government. The central committee meeting of the party forwarded a 16-point condition, seeking guarantee of new statute and completion of the ongoing peace process on time, among others. The party also demanded written commitment on "autonomous Madhes state" and integration of Maoist combatants from the CPN-UML. According to MJF chairman Upendra Yadav, a six-member team has been formed under the leadership of the party secretary Ram Raya Yadav to hold discussion on the conditions and power-sharing with the UML. "Based on the outcome of the upcoming talks with the CPN-UML our party will decide whether or not to join the Government," Yadav said.

Chairman of pro-monarchist RPP-N Kamal Thapa alleged foreign meddling in the country?s internal affairs is rapidly increasing, but the three major parties are least concerned about the problem. He said RPP-N has started a nationwide campaign to press for reinstatement of constitutional monarchy and declaration of Nepal as a Hindu State.

February 15

The UCPN-M turned down PM Jhala Nath Khanal?s proposal to expand the cabinet keeping aside the row over Home Ministry for now.

PM and CPN-UML chairman Jhala Nath Khanal and UCPN-M chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda clarified that they would stick to the seven-point agreement.

Terming the UCPN-M-CPN-UML seven-point agreement as "unconstitutional and undemocratic", NC central member Sujata Koirala said NC can join the current Government only if the seven-point agreement is discarded to pave the way for a new understanding.

The UNMIN handed over its logistics to the Government. On January 13, the Government had requested the UN body to hand over the logistics to the Special Committee for the Supervision, Integration and Rehabilitation of Maoist combatants after its departure. UNMIN formally left Nepal on January 15.

February 16

During a meeting with UCPN-M chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda at Baluwatar in the morning, PM Jhala Nath Khanal agreed to appoint 11 ministries from the Maoist party including home, foreign affairs, general administration, physical planning and works and peace and reconstruction. In the meeting, Dahal is known to have proposed Krishna Bahadur Mahara as the leader of the Maoist team in the cabinet. PM Khanal also communicated to chairman Dahal that his party, the CPN-UML, would retain eight ministries including defence and water resources, a source at Prime Minister?s Office revealed. However, the MJF is also learnt to demand the energy ministry in case it decides to join the Government. A Maoist source said the party would make a formal announcement of the party's ministerial candidates by February 17.

CPN-ML (Socialist) decided to join the CPN-UML-led Government. A meeting of the party's central committee held at Singha Durbar agreed to send party chairman Jagat Bahadur Bogati as minister and parliamentary party leader Yadhubansa Jha as state minister.

Top Maoist leaders, including chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, vice chairmen Mohan Baidya and Baburam Bhattarai and general secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa arrived in Pokhara to give orientation to cadres on party's policies and strategies. Some 450 senior cadres are participating in the training.

February 17

The row over the Home Ministry seemed far from over as the UCPN-M reverted to its earlier decision to support the Government from outside, saying that the CPN-UML was yet to fulfill its commitment to the seven-point agreement. The Maoist standing committee's decision came after PM Khanal could not decide on the expansion of his cabinet following a pressure from within the CPN-UML not to give the Home Ministry to the Maoists.

There was heated dispute in CPN-UML standing committee meeting over the idea of giving the Home Ministry to the Maoists. The CPN-UML faction steered by KP Oli and Madhav Kumar Nepal had informed PM Khanal in writing on February 16 that the Home Ministry and Defence Ministry should not be given to the UCPN-M at any cost.

Standing firm against the recent seven-point deal between the CPN-UML and UCPN-M, the TMLP-Nepal said it has decided not to join the CPN-UML-led Government, but instead stay in the opposition.

February 18

Senior leaders of CPN-UML including former PM Madhav Kumar Nepal, KP Oli and Ishwar Pokhrel told UCPN-M not to expect Home Ministry until the peace process concludes.

UCPN-M chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda suggested PM and UML chairman Jhala Nath Khanal to settle internal dispute in his party first and then ask the Maoists to join his Government.

In his first address to the nation since his election, PM Khanal defended the seven-point agreement he signed with Maoist chairman Prachanda.

February 20

PM Jhala Nath Khanal expressed confidence that the current Government will soon get complete shape as there has been some progress in resolving the disputes in cabinet expansion.

?Middle-path? leaders of CPN-UML, not in the Khanal camp or the KP Oli-Madhav Kumar Nepal camp, suggested PM Khanal to keep the portfolio of Home Ministry with himself to resolve the ongoing row.

UCPN-M chairman Puspha Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda blamed some senior UML leaders of trying to pull down the Khanal Government. However, he didn't mention the names of those leaders.

Maoist vice chairman Baburam Bhattarai made it clear that his party is not going to withdraw its support to the Khanal Government.

February 21

Prime Minister (PM) Jhalanath Khanal along with the leaders of CPN-UML and UCPN-M has agreed to amend the seven-point-deal. The decision was made at the meeting held at the prime minister?s office in Singhadurbar, prior to the UML?s politburo meeting. PM Khanal, Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda and UML senior leader KP Oli were present at the meeting along with other senior members of the two parties.

CPN-UML politburo decided to go for a revision of the seven-point agreement signed between Khanal and Prachanda. After four-hour discussion, the UML politburo concluded that the deal needs to be revised and decided to forward the review proposal to the central committee meeting taking place on February 22.

February 22

Junior officer of District Land Revenue Office, Bara, Madhav Thapa (40), was shot dead by an unidentified assailant. Akhil Terai Mukti Morcha (ATMM) owned up the killing. Bara District in-charge of ATMM called up local journalists and said they shot Thapa as he was involved in financial irregularities in the land revenue office.

CPN-UML Central Committee (CC) approved the seven-point agreement signed by its chairman Jhala Nath Khanal and UCPN-M chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda on February 3, but reinterpreted most of the points.

February 23

Top leaders of the major three political parties - UCPN-M, NC, and CPN-UML - and Constitutional Committee (CC) chairman held crucial discussion on forming a sub-committee to sort out the thorny issues seen in statute-making process. However, no concrete decision was reached among the leaders.

A Pakistani national, Sultan Mehboob Ali, who was arrested at Tribhuvan International Airport 3 with fake Indian currency notes worth INR 350,000 told investigators he was supposed to hand over the baggage full of notes to one Aamir at Jawalakhel. Ali had come from Karachi via Bahrain on a Gulf Air flight. Police said the fake Indian currency notes were to be routed to India through the Nepal-India border. Police have seized fake Indian currency with face value of INR 19 million in the past one-and-half year. Eighty per cent of such cases involve Pakistani citizens, said officials.

February 24

UCPN-M Secretary CP Gajurel said his party was forming a new youth organisation, which would be more ?dangerous? than the existing YCL. "In the past, everybody was afraid of YCL but not anymore. So we are planning to constitute a new force," he said at a function in Sindhuli.

NC senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba said that his party will not join the Government. "CPN-UML's seven-point pact seems very doubtful, the party has not clarified the points mentioned in the pact," Deuba said at a press meet.

February 25

The UCPN-M decided not to join the Government saying the party is not convinced with the position of CPN-UML on the seven-point agreement.

The Constitutional Committee (CC) decided to constitute a five member sub-committee to resolve the disputed issues seen in statute drafting.

February 27

The UCPN-Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda warned that all the factories, industries and hotels across the country will be turned into barracks to ensure the success of the people's revolt the party plans to wage. Prachanda said that Maoists will not tolerate any attempts to halt efforts aimed at ensuring peace and constitution as well as bringing about a radical transformation in the country. He also called upon all the factory workers affiliated to the Maoist party to make "final preparations" for people's revolt with all their power and might. He further said that those who believe that the Maoists will not wage any people's revolt and think that it is just a bluff will soon be getting a rude shock. As reported earlier, in a similar warning he had said that all "the universities would be converted into barracks" if the regressive elements intensified their conspiracies.

The ruling CPN-UML decided to hold "decisive talks" with the main coalition partner UCPN-Maoist to finalize the power-sharing issue and cabinet expansion very soon.

The MJF announced that it has formed a youth wing, Madhes Rakshya Dal, and assured that the new outfit will not carry weapons like UCPN-Maoist's YCL. Making a formal announcement about the formation of the youth wing in Biratnagar, MJF said Kanaiya Lal Sah will lead the group. Sah later told reporters that his group would always work to "safeguard and support" Madhes and Madhesi people. He also claimed that the group would be "fully trained".

February 28

Mohan Vaidya, the Vice-chairman of UCPN-M has warned that his party will be compelled to withdraw its support to the Government if the current political impasse caused by the inability to expand the cabinet and give a full shape to the Government continues. He insisted that the cabinet should be expanded as per the spirit of the seven-point deal. "If we can't move ahead as per the seven-point agreement, then the Maoist party will withdraw its support to the government," he said, clearly hinting that the onus is on CPN-UML to implement the agreement. He blamed the intra-party tussle in the CPN-UML behind the inability of the Government to expand the cabinet.

Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda assured that another "vital decision" will be taken soon to expand the cabinet and give a full shape to the Government. 'We will take another vital decision soon to form a full-size cabinet and prevent the regressive forces from intervening in national politics," Dahal said. He said that the Government will get a full shape within couple of days much to the surprise of regressive and reactionary elements who want the present impasse to continue. He said the decision will be as surprising as the support of his party to Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal for the latter's election to the top executive post.

The CPN-UML has failed to convince the UCPN-M on power-sharing. During a meeting, UML leaders informed the Maoist team, based on the UML standing committee's decision on February 27, that it would be better if ministries related to security and defence be kept with the Prime Minister's party. However, the Maoist rejected the UML proposal. "We did not agree to UML's decision to keep the Home Ministry with themselves," said Maoist vice-chairman Narayan Kaji. Shrestha added, "However, we agreed to sit for another round of discussion following internal meetings in both the parties."

Communist leader Dilaram Acharya, who had formed a separate party after splitting from the CPN-Masal led by Mohan Bikram Singh, has joined UCPN-M. Acharya will be made a politburo member of the UCPN-Maoist.

March 1

UCPN-M is preparing to join the Jhala Nath Khanal cabinet even without the home ministry. The Maoist agreed to join the Government even without the home ministry for now. It is learnt that there has been a tentative agreement to keep the home ministry with the Prime Minister himself for now and give the ministry to the Maoist once the segregation of combatants going for integration and rehabilitation is completed.

SC meeting of the party at party headquarters in the morning discussed on joining the Government. However, a decision was not reached due to absence of many SC members. Maoist vice chairman Narayan KajiShrestha told reporters after the meeting that we discussed on the options of joining the Government, but could not reach a decision as many SC members were absent. The Standing Committee will meet again on March 2 to take a formal decision, according to Shrestha.

Maoist Vice Chairman Mohan Vaidya has said that his party will continue to support the CPN-UML led Government from outside even in the absence of an enabling atmosphere for them to join it. He said that his party will not participate in the Khanal's cabinet if the seven-point deal signed with him is not implemented in its entirety. But we will not withdraw our support to the Government, he assured. He, however, conceded that the crucial talks between PM Khanal and Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahalaka Prachandato resolve the current deadlock was positive and it has greatly increased the likelihood of Maoists joining the Government.

March 2

The UCPN-M in a meeting of the party Standing Committee decided to join CPN-UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal-led Government under the leadership of party foreign department chief Krishna Bahadur Mahara. The Maoists decided to put forth 11 leaders. However, a formal notice regarding the party decision has yet to be made public. According to Maoist spokesperson Dina Nath Sharma, the party will give a conclusive decision on portfolio allocation after holding talks with Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal in the morning of March 3.

NC is preparing to announce its ?comprehensive? roadmap for concluding the peace process and writing the statute. The party?s Central Working Committee slated to meet on March 3 will also make clear its stand on how it will cooperate with the current coalition. "We will try to at least come up with a uniform view regarding the stand the party will take in the Special Committee for Supervision, Integration and Rehabilitation of Maoist Combatants," said NC leader Gopal Man Shrestha. "The question is should we demonstrate further flexibility and increase the number of combatants to be integrated in Security Forces from between 3000 to 4000 as agreed in the past with late Girija Prasad Koirala to any other number, say between 5000 to 6,000," he added.

The State Affairs Committee of the Parliament has decided to seek the position of the new Government before conducting serious discussions on the action plan for democratisation of the Nepal Army and the national security policy prepared by the previous Government. The committee unanimously agreed to examine whether the new Government approves the documents prepared by the Cabinet committee led by then Defence Minister Bidhya Bhandari in August 2010. The committee will soon invite Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal and seek his opinion on the proposed policies, informed Chairman Ram Nath Dhakal.

March 3

Police arrested an Indian arms dealer along with two Chinese and American pistols and ammunitions in Kathmandu. A special Police squad deployed by MPCD arrested Hira Mishra (34), a native of Sitamarhi District in Indian State of Bihar, from Sheshnarayan VDC in Kathmandu while he was in search of potential arms customers.

MPCD arrested two suspected arms dealers, Arun Kumar Gupta and Suresh Shah Kanu, of Birgunj city along with two pistols and ammunitions from Koteshwar District. SFs say the latest seizure of arms and ammunitions is a significant achievement in their effort to curb rampant arms trafficking.

UCPN-Maoist, which has strongly backed the Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal-led Government, seems positive about joining the Government even though it does not get the Home Ministry portfolio immediately. Maoist leaders say that the party has been positive about joining the Government after Khanal assured that he would hold the Home Ministry for some period and hand it over to them after "concrete progress" is made on the integration and rehabilitation of former Maoist combatants. However, Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda is still facing difficulties in convincing his deputy Baburam Bhattarai as to why the party should join the Government. Bhattarai has sought a "written commitment" from the Prime Minister about handover of the Home Ministry to them later.

The meeting of the UCPN-M SC scheduled to take place was deferred. The meeting was to take place was to finalise the names of the 11 ministers from the party and their portfolios. Some Maoist leaders said the Maoist ministers would be sworn in on March 4 itself after the SC announced the final list. The Maoists have finalised the names of only five leaders, Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Barsa Man Pun, Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, Dev Gurung and Giriraj Mani Pokhrel.

The US Government has publicly asked Nepal Army to come clean on its rights record. US Ambassador to Nepal Scott H. DeLisi called on the Army leadership to cooperate with civilian courts and authorities to hold accountable all its personnel who violated human rights and international law of war in the past. The ambassador urged the Army not to condone individual failings. "If the Army protects these violators, then the perception becomes that it was not an individual who committed the violations, but the institution itself which condoned them. If there are failures or mistakes in judgment that raise questions about the Army?s commitment to human rights, they must be acknowledged and addressed - not hidden or covered-up with the belief that those who exercise power need not be accountable.

March 4

Police foiled a serial bomb attack, directed by a prisoner Ram Prasad Mainali, the chief of NDA, at major places in Kathmandu. The Police arrested six members of the underground armed outfit along with Three bombs, weapons and ammunition from Gongabu in Kathmandu.

During the interrogation, the arrestees, Cham Bahadur Thapa (22) of Damauli; Dilip Adhikari (30); Shiva Narayan Chaudhary (19); Ram Kumar Chaudhary (36); Ram Krishna Pahari (33) and Raj Kumar Nagarkoti (29) confessed that they came to the Capital on March 3 to detonate the bombs on busy thoroughfares. Police records show Mainali had also killed Salesian Priest John Prakash Moyalan in June 2008 in the city of Dharan and detonated over two dozen bombs in several parts of Kathmandu. Mainali, once a former member of the CPN-UML and then the UCPN-M during insurgency, claimed he took up arms to re-establish a Hindu State.

PM Jalanath Khanal inducted four Ministers from the UCPN-M. Maoist Standing Committee member Krishna Bahadur Mahara, who leads the party's team to the Government, has been appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Information and Communication, Top Bahadur Rayamajhi as Minister for Physical Planning and Works, Barshaman Pun as Minister for Peace and Reconstruction and Khadaga Bahadur Biswokarma as Minister for Tourism. Khanal now heads a cabinet of seven ministers, three from his party - CPN-UML and four from UCPN-M.

UCPN-M chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal that integration of the cantoned Maoist combatants will start soon. With the party's participation in the Government it will now initiate works on integration of the PLA, Dahal said at Bhadrapur airport in Jhapa District.

March 6

Unidentified assailants killed a man, identified as Bir Bahadur Lopchan, with a sharp weapon in Makawanpur District.

A UN mine action team neutralised landmines planted in and around the Khumel based company ?D? of Devidatta Battalion during the Maoist insurgency in Rolpa District. The battalion chief urged the people to remain cautious as there might still be some explosives. "We had shouldered the responsibility of disposing mines and bombs in 53 places across the country, of which we have completed our task in 43 places," said Shyamhari Adhikari, a representative of the Mine Action Group.

In Sukhani area of Jhapa District, Dahal said the communist revolution in Nepal had not yet completed and that his party "is ready for a sacrifice bigger than the people's war" if conspiracies were hatched against peace and constitution.

Two days after joining the Government, Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Minstructed ministers from his party on the "new priorities" in the Government. Dahal urged the ministers not to spend much time in public programmes and inaugurations. "You should focus more on ministerial tasks than unnecessarily killing time at public functions that will have a negative impression on the people," said Dahal. The Maoists claimed they have joined the Government to ensure peace and constitution. Minister for Tourism Khadka Bahadur Bishwokarma said their presence in the Government is a tactical move to ensure people's regime. "For us, Constituent Assembly is just a tool to fulfil our goals," he said.

March 14

The major ally of the current CPN-UML led Government, UCPN-M decided on to form a separate mechanism to run the PM Jhala Nath Khanal led Government as per the seven point that was signed between PM Khanal and Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal prior to the PM election on February 3, "We have decided to set up a mechanism to run the Government," said Maoist Vice Chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha. The Maoists have also decided to hold talks with the PM in order to give full shape to the cabinet. The Maoist party decided to bring in an advance budget. The UCP decided to mobilise its new youth wing, JSB in development works.

March 15

The Parliamentary SAC served a host of deadlines to the Government and its agencies to submit reports on ways to improve deteriorating security situation. SAC asked the Government to submit a blue print of security policy and status of report on implementation of the reports submitted by different committees and commissions formed in the past by March 29. It also instructed the Government to end the existing dual administration.

The smuggling of contraband firearms and ammunitions is unchecked in Terai Districts, posing a serious security threat to the region. Taking advantage of the open Nepal-India border, various underground outfits, ethnic groups and criminal gangs are involved in gunrunning. Security sources claimed Police seized 35 contraband weapons and held 58 people in the eastern region within the past three months claiming that most of these weapons are brought from India.

The main ruling coalition partner, UCPN-M unveiled its new youth squad, People's Volunteers Mobilisation Bureau which will have members from all sister organisations of the Maoist party and will be actively involved in reconstruction of physical infrastructures destroyed during the insurgency, reported Nepal News. Refuting accusations that the party floated the youth squad as a preparation to stage 'people's revolt', Chand said the organisation would create pressure for timely completion of the constitution-writing and the peace process apart from engaging in "development activities and public security" across the country. Coordinator of the Bureau, Standing Committee member Netra Bikram Chand, formally announced the establishment of the Bureau along with a ten member executive body comprising central leaders.

The Maoists, who were toying with the idea of ending the armed insurgency by 2006, were an enigma for the international community in Nepal, revealed the diplomatic cables generated between 2003 and 2007 from the US mission in Kathmandu. On September 22, 2006 ambassador James F Moriarty suggested that Nepal appeared headed for "crunch time": Nepal Government allowing Maoists into the interim Government. The then Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala assured Moriarty he would not do so, but the US envoy saw the risk if he didn?t: Maoists would organise public demonstrations in October, setting the stage for urban violence in November to intimidate the Government into handing over the key to power. Moriarty termed the Maoist ploy a bluff and feared that it could actually work in their favour.

March 16

Defence Minister Bishnu Poudel ruled out a "separate force" of Maoist combatants after their integration. It was reported that "integration and adjustment" would be done as per the Interim Constitution. "The integration of Maoist combatants will be carried out as per the provisions in the Interim Constitution, but there will not be a separate force of the combatants," Poudel said.

The MoPR unveiled a three year NPA for the Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Children Affected by Armed Conflict. The action plan aims to assist the current peace process in reaching a meaningful conclusion and protecting the rights of children affected by armed conflict and those associated with armed forces and armed groups through the implementation of the integrated plan of rehabilitation and reintegration. The National Human Rights Commission Report for 2005 stated that over 500 children lost their lives, around 40,000 were displaced and more than 8,000 were orphaned or separated from their families during the armed conflict since February 1996.

March 21

MCCN, a previously unheard outfit captured 35 ropanis (a unit of land measure) of land belonging to one Samundra Keshar Pandit in Nayapati village of Kathmandu District, and hoisted party flag. According to Kathmandu Police, an improvised socket bomb was also detonated near Samundra?s house to create panic. Police removed the flag and pamphlets bearing the name of ?Maoist Communist Centre of Nepal?, signed by its Valley in-charge Bishwas.

March 22

MJF led by Upendra Yadav decided to join the Jhala Nath Khanal led Government after an agreement with present coalition partners UML and UCPN-M.

March 23

Prime Minister Khanal, UCPN-M chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and MJF chairman Yadav signed an agreement about joining the Government at the PM?s residence. MJF agreed to join the Government after UCPN-M and UML expressed commitment in writing to complete the peace process and constitution drafting process on time and address the issues of Madhesh. Khanal agreed to give three ministerial berths to three MJF.

A UCPN-M cadre, Supath Rai, opened fire after a heated verbal altercation with a fellow cadre, Shyam Jarghamagar, at Gauri Puchchhar in Puranojhangajholi area of Sindhuli District .A Maoist cadre said the dispute arose over the "two-line struggle" of party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Vice Chairman Baburam Bhattarai.

March 25

An explosion in a bus left at least 13 passengers injured near Bhediya chowk in Rautahat District. Police said the blast occured inside a moving bus that was headed for Chandranigahapur from the Rautahat District headquarters in Gaur. The TJMP claimed the responsibility for the attack. The outfit's leader Abhay Singh said that the bus was bombed for defying a bandh called by his party on February 23.

Explosion carried out by another underground outfit MMS rocked the WDO in Gaur. However, no casualties were reported in the incident.

March 27

Over two dozen persons were injured when an IED went off inside a passenger bus at Butwal in Rupandehi District. One of the injured person succumbed to injuries in the morning of March 28 (today). The IED planted inside the bus, carrying around 40 passengers, went off soon after it arrived at Milanchowk, the main market center, from bordering city of Bhairahawa at 5:45pm, according to Police. Nobody has so far claimed responsibility for the blast. On March 26, seven persons were injured at Nepalgunj in Banke District, in a similar blast, while another blast left six passengers injured in Rautahat on March 25, adds Kantipuronline.

PM Jhala Nath Khanal said that the seven-point deal reached between him and UCPN-Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda won?t be scrapped at any cost. He added that another 10-point pact would be forged instead of quashing the seven-point agreement."There could be another 10-point agreement but the seven-point pact would not be trashed at any cost," said Khanal.

Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal has said the new constitution will be promulgated through political consensus. In a meeting with Director of Asia and Pacific Division of UN Department of Political Affairs Samuel Tamrat on March 27, Khanal maintained that the Government is striving to complete the peace process and constitution writing on time.

MJF-N approved four-point deal the party had signed with ruling CPN-UML and UCPN-Maoist last week to pave the path for its joining the Government. A parliamentary party meeting of MJF-N approved the deal signed between party chairman Upendra Yadav, Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal and Maoist Chairman Dahal.

March 28

Two suspects were detained along with arms at Sonapur Village Development Committee of Sunsari District. The arrestees were identified as Sunil Kumar Lamichane Magar of Dubahi-4 and Jogendra Shah of Dubahi-4, Police Inspector at Area Police Office in Dubahi, Netra Bahadur Baruwa, informed.

NC leader Narahari Acharya said that the seven-point agreement forged between Khanal and Prachanda has not only affected the NC but taken toll on the entire CA. Acharya claimed that the processes of peace and statute drafting cannot be accomplished provided that the seveen-point deal is implemented, adding, that all members of the CA are to blame if the constitution is not promulgated within May 28.

At least three members of the rival factions of the UCPN-M labour union, ANTUF, were injured in a violent confrontation in Bhaktapur. Supporters of the rival factions - one led by ANTUF chairman Salikram Jammarkattel and the other group led by Badri Bajgain - clashed during a meeting. ANTUF chairman Jammarkattel is backed by UCPN-M chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda while Bajgain faction is loyal to vice chairman Mohan Baidya.

Unidentified assailants shot at and injured secretary of Balwa (VDC), Shiva Ram Pandey, in Mahottari District. In 2009, an underground armed group had detonated a bomb at Pandey?s residence for his refusal to pay donation.

MHA has urged all concerned parties to restrain from violence. Issuing a press statement spokesperson of the MHA Jaya Mukunda Khanal urged the concerned parties to stop terrifying the people by blasting bombs at public places and public transport. Khanal also said, the ministry has instructed all security agencies to take immediate action against those involved in the blast.

Prachanda had claimed that his party would not split as it is obvious to have minor differences inside a big party, adding, that some minor differences within the party is giving the impression that the party is splitting, but that?s not going to happen. "Minor differences are obvious in a big party," said Dahal, adding, "But the UCPN-M won?t split, rather, the party will become more united and ultimately the reins of nation will come in our hands."

March 29

Nepal Army bomb disposal team neutralised a pressure cooker bomb planted at the Police office in Traffic Chowk in Biratnagar city of Morang District. Brochures of Janatantrik Madhesh Mukti Tigers have been recovered from the incident site.

UCPN-M called Tikapur bazaar (market), in Kailali District, bandh (shut down) on March 30 protesting against the alleged Police atrocities while showing black flag to Indian Ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood.

The UCPN-Maoist decided to dissolve all the three factions of its trade unions, plagued by rivalry and fisticuffs among themselves, and set up a National Assembly Organising Committee. The SC meeting decided to disband all three parallel trade unions affiliated to Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda and Vice Chairman duo Mohan Baidya and Baburam Bhattarai. SC took the decision after the three unions led by pro-Dahal Shalikram Jammarkattel, pro-Baidya Laldhwaj Nembang and pro-Bhattarai Badri Bajagain started clashing with each other. According to Maoist spokesperson Dinanath Sharma, the internal conflicts of the party would be discussed in the next meeting slated for March 31.

The Government has invited all "armed political outfits" active in the country to the negotiating table. Addressing the media, Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Barshaman Pun said the Government would hold talks only with the armed outfits of political nature and not with those involving in criminal activities. The Government's decision to initiate talks with the armed outfits comes following series of bomb blasts carried out by armed groups operating in Terai.

Minister Pun also unveiled the revised data of the loss in life and property during the 10-year long armed conflict waged by the then CPN-M. According to the report, 115,760 people were victims of the armed conflict among which 17,000 lost their lives 78,675 were displaced and 1600 people disappeared. Similarly, 12,657 persons lost their properties in the insurgency.

A meeting of the sub-committee under the CC, formed to resolve disputes in the key issues to be incorporated in the new constitution, decided to take the proposal for its term extension at the CC. The term of the sub-committee, which was extended for 15 days on March 15, ended on March 29. According to Kalpana Rana, a member of the sub-committee, the proposal for the extension of the term would be tabled at the CC meeting on March 30 (today).

The CC meeting of the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Nepal decided to join the Government under the leadership of Chairman Upendra Yadav. The meeting also decided to send either CC members or Constituent Assembly members as ministers to the Cabinet, and the meeting authorised Chairman Yadav to choose the candidates based on the criteria passed in the Parliamentary Party meeting on March 26.

NA has proposed to form a separate general directorate under its command comprising of certain number of personnel from NA, Nepal Police, APF and Maoist combatants to complete the peace process.

The UCPN-Maoist has not responded to the NA proposal, the Maoist combatants have said the proposal could become a basis of discussion for the integration process. The commanding level PLA officers at the seventh division camp in Kailali said the integration issue could be resolved if the NA?s proposal is brought under a positive political discussion and some of its points are revised.

UN diplomat Tamrat Samuel has stressed the need for forming a neutral mechanism to monitor the implementation of the agreement on integration and rehabilitation of People?s Liberation Army combatants that will be signed in future.

The government has released the salary for the former Maoist combatants that were due since the exit of UNMIN in mid-January. The Peace and Reconstruction Ministry took the decision to release the salary on March 25, according to Minister Barsha Man Pun. Salary distribution had been on hold for the last four months in the absence of the monitoring body. The ministerial level directives prepared by the Peace and Reconstruction Ministry authorised the government to make payments to the combatants in the presence of UN arms monitors.

March 30

The tenure of the sub-committee under the CC formed to resolve disputes in the issues to be incorporated in the new constitution has been extended for the second time by 15 days. . A CC meeting decided to extend the sub-committee's tenure till April 14. The UCPN-M has proposed to change the coordinator of the sub-committee, but other parties have not agreed to it. The sub-committee formed over a month ago is led by Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda at present. There are over three dozen disputed issues in the draft of new constitution. Although, the sub-committee has resolved many disputed issues during its previous tenures, critical issues like form of governance and state restructuring are yet to be resolved.

With less than two months to go before the extended term of the CA ends, the CPN-UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal has hinted that CA tenure could be extended. He suggested that with some work yet to be completed, the CA, if it cannot come up with a full-fledged constitution in time, should come up with a framework constitution, and it should calculate the time further needed and seek for an extension accordingly. He suggested that State Restructuring Committee be constituted to delineate issues concerning principle of federalism and power between federation, state and local level, among others.

The UCPN-M secretary C. P. Gajurel said if the two-thirds majority helps in constitution-drafting process, it should be adopted but the aspiration of all the parties in the CA should be reflected in the process. Gajurel said his party is not for CA term extension.

Tarai Madhes Loktantrik party Chairman Mahanta Thakur said the new constitution should have ownership of all the parties in the CA. Stating that CA has been dictated by the Big Three, he questioned what would the remaining people do if the constitution is made by a two-thirds majority. "In the past constitutions have failed because they could not accommodate the aspirations of all", claimed Thakur. He also cautioned the parties not to humiliate the Madhesi parties.

The UCPN-M Vice Chairman Babu Ram Bhattarai said on March 30 that the accomplishments of peace and statute drafting processes are in peril as internal populi. The Maoist ideologue remarked that the party could split if ideological debates are banned in the party, just like a pressure cooker explodes when if its vapour outlet gets blocked. "Those creating hue and cry inside the party while trying to initiate debate over ideologies are spreading the rumour that the party is splitting," said the Maoist vice chairman, during the fourth annual assembly of a community radio, 'Hamro Radio'. "How can a party that lacks democracy within itself can build a democratic constitution?" Bhattarai questioned, hinting at the internal conflicts within his party.

He urged not to doubt the peace and statute-drafting process as it is being led by the Maoists. "The CA is a child gave birth by the Maoists, others are just the nurses," said leader Bhattarai, adding that the anti-constitution elements are trying to derail the constitution on various pretexts. "Now the anti-constitution are trying to slit the baby CA's throat," he claimed.

March 31

Two cadres of JTMMT-R, operating in Tarai, were shot dead by unidentified assailants in Parsa District. The victims were, identified as Raj Guru alias Chhote Lal Patel and Rabindra Patel, of Chikani Village Development Committee (VDC) in the District.

Top leaders of major parties have emphasised on political consensus for drafting the constitution and bringing peace process to a conclusion in time.

The UCPN-M has called for talks between the labour unions and the industrialists to resolve the ongoing conflict in the industrial sector. A meeting of the Maoist standing committee decided to ask the government to take the initiative for talks between the management of the industries and trade unions through the concerned ministry. The Maoist standing committee also noted that the continuous strike and clashes in industries has been a setback for the industrial sector.

With the objective of upholding the spirit of ?people?s war?, a new intellectual and cultural forum has been formed by the UCPN-M under leadership of Rishiraj Baral.

April 3

Former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal said that the UCPN-M is not serious to write the new constitution on time. He accused the Maoists of lingering and making various pretexts as they do not want to issue a new constitution. The Maoist chairman?s decision to back-out from the sub-committee under the Constitutional Committee shows that the Maoists are not serious in making the constitution, he said, adding, the UCPN-M must be further pressured to ensure peace and timely statute.

President Ram Baran Yadav opined it is not a good idea to endorse the new constitution by a two-third majority without taking the opposition parties - Nepali Congress and the Madhesh based parties - into confidence. He said a consensus among four power groups in the CA ? UCPN-M, CPN-UML, Nepali Congress and the Madhesh based parties ? is must for stability and sustainable peace. Although there is a provision to endorse the statute by two-third majority such statute will not ensure peace and sustainability, said President Yadav, adding, only a statute with consent from the four power groups will be sustainable.

The Maoist (SC) has taken positively the Nepal Army proposal to form a separate directorate comprising a proportional number of Maoist combatants and personnel from other security agencies for the integration of PLA combatant.

UCPN-M launched its People?s Volunteers in the Valley despite internal conflicts. With the party?s decision to launch a concentrated group of youths, the PVMB made public the volunteers in different parts of the country. People?s Volunteers would is to create pressure for peace and constitution, and also serve the people and begin production and construction work besides providing security to people

April 4

PM Jhalanath Khanal said that the UCPN-M has more responsibility than other political parties for integration and rehabilitation of their combatants.

Speaking at the same programme, NC president Sushil Koirala accused the ruling UCPN-M of creating the terror by forming one organisation or the other rather than cooperating to conclude the peace process.

NC (PP) meeting concluded that the UCPN-M has come to be the main stumbling block in the peace and statute drafting processes.

CPN-UML senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal accused the UCPN-M of running a business of sorts in the name of its combatants.

?Military-in-charge? of the UCPN-M and Minister for Peace and Reconstruction, Barshaman Pun, said the integration model proposed by NA is positive.

Nepal is going to be declared a mine-free country by mid-June this year. Four platoons of NA with the help of UNMAT have cleared 45 of the 53 mine fields and plan to clear the remaining mines by mid-June 2011.

During the conflict, NA had reportedly planted 53 minefields, while more than 300 IED were planted by NA, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force Combined.

April 5

Police arrested four alleged cadres of the SJM, an underground outfit, for their involvement in an extortion racket in the Budhanilakantha area of National Capital Kathmandu.

UCMN-M ?vice chairman? Baburam Bhattarai said conspiracies to impose presidential rule by derailing the constitution-making and peace process are being hatched.

NC and CPN-UML have rejected the UCPN-M proposal to change the co-coordinator of sub-committee under the CC formed to resolve the disputed issues in the new constitution. NC and CPN-UML turned down the Maoist proposal at a meeting of the leaders of the three parties in the morning of April 5.

A meeting of the Maoist office-bearers to find a way out of the dispute in the party's trade union, the ANTUF, ended inconclusively. The rival factions of the Maoist trade union have engaged in a series of violent confrontations in different places over the past couple of weeks.

April 6

Police arrested five senior cadres of the Communist Party of Nepal (Rebel) Maoist, an underground armed group, from Baluwatar in the National Capital Kathmandu and Jagati in Bhaktapur District.

The opposition Madheshi parties asked the Election Commission to suspend the ongoing voter's list collection in Terai Districts and warned of a stir if only citizenship is made the criteria of electoral roll collection.

MJF chairman Upendra Yadav has asked all armed groups operating in Terai Districts to cease violence and come to dialogue with the Government and political parties. Talking to reporters, Yadav said detonating explosives in public places and buses cannot be called a revolution and that such activities would never bring about any positive change in the society.

The US Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Robert Blake said that the US is ready to assist Nepal for the timely accomplishment of the processes of peace and statute drafting.

It seems PM Jhala Nath Khanal?s plan to complete the integration and rehabilitation of former Maoist combatants within 50 days is in trouble, with the major parties failing to narrow down their differences on the integration modality. In March, PM Khanal had assured foreign diplomats that his Government would come up with a 50-day action plan to complete the integration and rehabilitation process. Since then, there has not been any progress.

The UCPN-M decided to continue with ?chairman? Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda?s current position as the coordinator of the sub-committee formed to resolve the dispute over key aspects of the upcoming constitution.

April 7

PM Jhala Nath Khanal has indicated that the CA term will be further extended if the task of constitution drafting does not get completed by May 28, when the CA?s current term ends.

The SC had issued a verdict few months ago upholding the CA decision to extend its term in 2010 saying the CA term cannot end until a new constitution is promulgated.

UCPN-M ?chairman? Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda said his party will fight 'till the last moment' to ensure peace and constitution in the country.

Vice President Paramananda Jha has said the President Ram Baran Yadav should step ahead and give a political outlet to the nation if political parties fail to fulfill their mandate.

UCPN-M ?chairman? Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda publicly welcomed the Nepal Army proposal on integration.

As reported earlier, the Army had submitted a proposal to Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal suggesting that a separate directorate be constituted within the Army comprising 50 percent former Maoist combatants and fifty percent personnel of the three security agencies.

NC Parliamentary Party leader Ram Chandra Poudel remarked that the proposal on the integration of the PLA combatants put forth by the Nepal Army is incomplete.

April 8

DPM and the UCPN-M leader Krishna Bahadur Mahara said that his party is against the extension of the tenure of the CA.

?Chairman? of the UCPN-M Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda has said that his party was fully committed to completing the peace process and the constitution drafting process. He said both the process can be completed on time if all the parties were honest to it.

A meeting of the office bearers of UCPN-M decided to take up four issues, including the Government's "unilateral decision to bring in the full budget" and the "stagnancy in the implementation of seven-point agreement" with the CPN-UML.

Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal has said that the Government will get full shape within two days. He said preparations are underway to give full shape to the Government and urged all to assist the Government to conclude the ongoing peace process and constitution writing.

April 9

Four persons were injured when the cadres of an underground ethnic outfit, KJWP, attacked Pangacha VDC in Bhojpur District that borders with Udaypur District.

NC leader Ram Saran Mahat said that Army integration model as proposed by the UCPN-M would not be acceptable, not only to his party but to other parties also.

April 10

Police arrested Ashakaji Subal, who claims to be a central member of the CPN-RM, an underground armed outfit, while he was planning to plant explosives at 15 different places in the National Capital Kathmandu.

The Metropolitan Police Crime Division arrested three cadres of another armed group, Samyukta Ballo Kirat Koichwan Rastriya Morcha.

UCPN-M Spokesperson Dinanath Sharma accused the NC and the CPN-UML of conspiring to hinder the promulgation of a people's constitution.

NC leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula said lack of consensus among the political parties has put the constitution drafting process in limbo, adding, that the chances of the new constitution being a democratic one is very slim. He said his party would never accept a ?dictatorial? constitution.

The ruling parties CPN-UML and UCPN-M formed eight-member taskforce to decide on the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) for running the Government. The taskforce has been given a deadline of maximum two days to come up with the CMP and action plan for running the government, according to one of the members.

Former Minister for Information and Communications and CPN-UML Secretary Shanker Pokharel said that the Home portfolio should not be handed over to the UCPN-M at any cost. He also said that the new statute will be promulgated within May 28 deadline if the political parties forge consensus in cooperation. "If no consensus is forged, the nation will plunge into another conflict," Pokharel warned.

Newly appointed Minister for Energy of the CPN-UML Gokarna Bista was attacked by unidentified assailants at Samakhushi Town Planning area of Kathmandu in the evening of April 11. Bista received injuries in the attack.

People of Jutpani VDC-3 in Chitwan, blocked the East-West Highway section at Ratnanagar for three hours after UCPN-M combatants from the Dinesh-Ramji Memorial Brigade attacked and injured six locals in course of a dispute,. According to locals, the attackers vented their ire as locals opposed their plans to build a cricket pitch on a football ground.

The sixth division of Maoist PLA in Dasharathpur has not cleared electricity charge to the NEA Chhinchu sub-branch. According to the Division source, the electricity charge will be cleared once the party central office allocated amount for this.

UCPN-M Standing Committee member Dev Gurung claimed that PM Jhalanath Khanal agreed to grant the Home Ministry to his party.

CPN-UML leader Pradip Gyawali said the UCPN-M will not be allotted with the Ministry of Home Affairs under any circumstances as his party has decided to keep the portfolio.

The Prime Minister claimed that his party has no dispute with the UCPN-M over power sharing in the process of Cabinet extension. Khanal said that the UCPN-M and CPN-UML have no dispute over the Home Ministry.

Police made public three persons arrested on charge of exploding a bomb in a passenger bus in Butwal in Rupandehi District on March 27.

PM Jhala Nath Khanal told the UCPN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda that the Home Ministry cannot be given to the Maoist party unless it comes up with a time-bound action plan on integration and rehabilitation of former Maoist combatants and constitution writing.

President Ram Baran Yadav has said the ongoing economic, administrative and social cloud of confusion and uncertainty will clear only after a meaningful completion of the peace process and writing of a democratic constitution.

An employee of Pakistani Embassy, identified as Mehboob Asim, was injured as unidentified assailants opened fire at him in the Basundara area of National Capital Kathmandu in the morning.

'Co-chairman' of Sadbhawana Party, Laxman Lal Karna, said that the CA term would be extended only if progress is made in constitution writing, or else it should not be extended just for the sake of it. Karna added that it is the deprived Madheshi, Janajati (schedule tribe), Dalit (backward class) and women sections who need the constitution the most.

MJF 'chairman' Upendra Yadav has said that the term of the CA could be extended, but the parties must convince the people beforehand. Yadav said the CA's deadline should not be extended without getting full support from the citizens, saying the ground behind it should be tacit and rational. He also urged all Madhesh-based parties to come under a single platform to defend the rights of Madheshi people.

The fringe political parties have blamed the major political parties for paying less attention toward constitution writing, Leaders of the fringe parties complained that their demands were not heard in the CA by the major political parties' leaders adding that constitution will not be promulgated within the slated timeframe of May 28.

The six-hour long SC meeting of the UCPN-M failed to decide the names of leaders who would join the Cabinet due to the dispute among three factions, respectively of 'Chairman' Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda, Vice Chairmen Baburam Bhattarai and Mohan Baidya.

The UCPN-M 'vice chairman' Mohan Baidya ruled out the possibility of promulgating the new constitution within May 28. Baidya claimed that it would be impossible to meet the deadline for the new constitution as the Army integration is still pending, and very limited time has been left for finalising the issues related to the new statute.

NC Parliamentary Party leader Ram Chandra Poudel claimed that the NC would take the leadership to conclude the peace and statute drafting process even if the Maoists did not want it.

The Nepal Congress has decided to organise a nationwide campaign to create pressure for concluding the peace process and constitution-drafting on time, Nepal News reports. As part of the pressure campaign, the party will hold mass meetings in all five regions and a few district headquarters from April 24 to May 20.

Two UCPN-M cadres were injured in a clash at Marinkhola in Kalpabrishykha Village Development Committee area of Sindhuli District.

UCPN-M activists in Kailali District have been accused of selling off land seized by them by taking "commission".

PM Jhala Nath Khanal said that the Home Ministry will not be allocated to the UCPN-M without the assent of other political parties.

Senior CPN-UML leader K. P. Oli had said that the party should strip Khanal of his posts of both Prime Minister and the CPN-UML chair if he dares hand the home ministry to the Maoists without consulting other leaders of the party.

A bomb went off at the Sagarmatha Transport Zonal Office in the Siraha District. No casualties were reported.

Police arrested two persons on charge of extortion from Dobhan VDC of the Tansen District. The arrestees, Dhan Bahadur Thapa and Karun Thapa, claimed that they are affiliated with SJM.

A group of MJF-N cadres attacked 'Chairman' Upendra Yadav's vehicle in Birgunj in Parsa District after the Parsa District Committee of the party was dissolved. Senior leaders of the party Renu Yadav and Hari Narayan Yadav were injured in the attack.

Minister for Irrigation Raghubir Mahaseth claimed that the Madhesh-based parties would join the Government within a week.

A member of the UCPN-M Nuwakot District Committee Secretariat has been found involved in the murder of three members of a family that took place on March 2 at Newarpani of Bhadrutar-3 of the Nuwakot District.

Meanwhile, the major three parties - Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (UCPN-M), Nepali Congress (NC) and Communist Party of Nepal- Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) - have failed to settle the dispute in the Constitutional Committee (CC) as a meeting held in the morning of April 18 ended inconclusively.

Citing threats from Bikas Kirati of Shree Jung Force of the Kirat Janabadi Workers, 36 VDC secretaries of Bhojpur District resigned en masse. The secretaries lamented they were compelled to resort to such a move due to threats from Bikas Kirati.

UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Kyung-Wha Kang called on Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal and urged him to "gradually implement" the recommendations of the Universal Periodic Review held in January.

Kyung-Hwa Kang also discussed possible term extension of OHCHR-Nepal with the PM. "Regarding the term extension, discussions will be held at appropriate level," PM's Foreign Affairs Adviser, Milan Tuladhar, said in a statement following the meeting.

PM Jhala Nath Khanal said that the Government is fully committed to concluding peace process and drafting the constitution on time.

Government spokesperson and culture minister Gangalal Tuladhar has said seeking an alternative to current CPN-UML-led Government is "natural", adding further he won't find that surprising if it is unable to ensure peace and constitution.

NC central member Balkrishna Khand has said it would not be appropriate to go for general elections before the integration of the Maoist combatants is completed.

The ruling UCPN-M has registered its amendment to key clauses in the Bill on Truth and Reconciliation including proposed provision on action against human rights violators during the decade long insurgency.

In the party's Politburo meeting, Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda suggested that the party put peace and constitution at centre stage until May 28, the extended deadline for the Constituent Assembly to promulgate a new constitution.

The UCPN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda on said consensus on all contentious issues surrounding the peace process and constitution drafting can be forged within a week .

NC Central Member Narayan Khadka has said that a Government under the leadership of Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal would be acceptable to his party if the party UCPN-M quit the "people's revolt" and express commitment on the peace and constitution writing processes. Khadka remarked that Dahal's report that proposes putting aside the 'people's revolt' strategy for now was a positive step.

Terai Madhesh Democratic Party Chairman Mahanta Thakur said the country should go for fresh polls if the CA fails to deliver the constitution by May 28.

The MMT 'district in-charge' Mahesh Chaurasia and Anupam Dev were arrested by the Police in Morang District.

Police arrested two persons along with arms in Tulsipur area of Dang District. According to Inspector of Area Police Office (Tulsipur), Jivan Budhathoki, Police arrested Jagat Chaudhary (26) and Deepak K. C. (34) along with a revolver, hand-made pistol and two bullets. The two are said to be the cadres of Nepal Marxist Republican Youth Tiger.

Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal said that the Government will soon take a firm step to pilot the peace process to a logical end. Prime Minister Khanal also said that a preliminary draft of a new constitution will be prepared by May 28, the deadline to promulgate a new full-fledged statute. He claimed the seven-point deal penetrated month-long political deadlock.

Three Policemen were injured when over 200 cadres of KMM attacked a Police post in the Belbari area of Morang District demanding release of their fellow cadres.

Minister for Peace and UCPN-M leader Barshaman Pun 'Ananta' warned that his party will launch another movement if the CA fails to promulgate the constitution within the May 28 deadline.

Another Maoist leader and Physical Planning Minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi said promulgation of new constitution by 28 May is not possible. He said extension of the CA's term is inevitable as there is no possibility of writing the constitution by 28 May and that dissolution of the CA before promulgating the statute would invite conflict in the country.

CPN-UML senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal said that only after completion of the peace process can the constitution be promulgated. "It's time all political parties zeroed in on peace and statute-drafting processes, but the Unified CPN-M is all set to seize the state power," he said. He also stressed the need to bring the Nepali Congress (NC) on board the Government, and urged all political parties to concentrate on statute-drafting.

A Nepal Army squad from Butwal disposed of a socket bomb planted in the house compound of Santaram Yadav, a local resident of Hakui VDC-3 of the Rupandehi District. Pamphlets bearing the name of Janatantrik Madhesh Mukti Tigers, an armed outfit, were recovered from the site.

The VDC Secretaries' Rights Protection Centre has accused the Government of not bothering to provide security to VDC secretaries despite mounting threats from various underground outfits. Speaking at a press meet, vice-chairman of the Centre, Ram Kumar Yadav said, "The Government has done nothing for our security, though at least 27 of our friends have been killed since 1996."

NC leader Arjun Narsingh K. C. said that his party will not accept a constitution endorsed by a two-thirds majority in the Constituent Assembly CA. He said if the leftists issue a constitution based on majority in the CA, NC will tear it the same day.

A study by DFHRI demonstrates various instances of extra-judicial killings that took place there between 2008-2010. "The state and various armed groups are competing in perpetrating extra-judicial killings in Terai. The State was involved in 133 extra-judicial killings while armed groups were guilty in 129 cases during the 2008-2010 periods," read the report. It has inputs from National Human Rights Commission and OHCHR-Nepal.

NC activists attacked and injured six UCPN-M supporters in a dispute over construction work at a school in Dhyangphedi Village Development Committee (VDC)-6 in Nuwakot District. The Maoist District Committee claimed that a group of about 20 NC activists led by Sun Bahadur Tamang had attacked its party men. The NC village committee, however, denied involvement of its activists in the attack.

NC General Secretary Krishna Prasad Sitaula said it is futile to give the CA another extension unless the UCPN-M sticks to agreements, including the November 22, 2005 12-point accord.

Senior CPN-UML leader K. P. Sharma Oli has said the term of the CA "cannot at all be extended" as it has failed to deliver on the mandate of drafting the constitution.

At least 14 RPP activists were injured in a clash with the UCPN-M cadres at Madi in Chitwan District. According to eye witnesses, the clash ensued after the Maoist cadres suddenly attacked the RPP activists while they were attending a party workers' meeting at Madi.

PM Jhala Nath Khanal said that the peace and statute drafting processes would be completed soon as they were common agendas of all political parties. The PM argued the seven-point deal between his party CPN-UML and UCPN-M provided the country with a Government.

Samyukta Loktantrik Madheshi Morcha said promulgation of a new constitution has no meaning unless the peace process is taken to its logical conclusion. The Morcha argued that there is no alternative to launching a protest as the Government is non-serious over the Madheshi issues. Senior leaders of the three Madhesh based parties - MJFN-L, TMLP and Nepal Sadbhavana Party - were present in the press meet. They said if a constitution was promulgated sidelining the Madheshi issues, such a statute will not be acceptable to them.

The NC General Secretary Krishna Sitaula said that the CA term should not be extended until a concrete basis for PLA combatants' integration was prepared,. Sitaula said the present political deadlock will not end due to the Unified UCPN-M double standard.

CPN-UML leader K. P. Oli remarked that the statute-drafting process can be completed within a month and the peace process within four days if the UCPN-M really.

UCPN-M Vice Chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha said that integration of the PLA fighters is one of the topmost priorities his party. Shrestha remarked that without the PLA integration, the peace process will not complete. "Concluding the peace process by integrating the combatants is the first priority. Promulgation of a new constitution comes second," he said, adding, the Maoists were for an honourable integration of the PLA. Saying that his party is not standing in the way of integration, he argued, "These status quoists don't want to see the combatants that fought for the people's right and republic turned into the state army."

During his meeting with French Ambassador to Nepal Jean-Charles Demarquis, Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal said the integration model for former Maoist combatants was being discussed at an advanced stage. "There are encouraging signs from the UCPN-M regarding the peace and constitution writing processes. This will help in building consensus even as the May 28 constitution deadline is fast approaching."

Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal has invited political outfits, which have launched armed struggle in the Terai, for talks. The Government is ready for talks with political outfits, he said, warning that his Government would crack down on the outfits if they ignored his invite for talks and gave continuity to criminal activities.

UCPN-Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda said he has not backtracked from the party's tactical line of people's line.

Vice Chairperson of the Constituent Assembly, Purna Kumari Subedi has said the preliminary draft of new constitution should be brought out if the new constitution was not possible within the scheduled date. Subedi stressed that the parties should come with objective reasons as to why they are unable to give the nation the new constitution within May 28, the deadline for issuing it. He urged the parties to come to consensus before the nation sees any disasters due to increasing misunderstandings among them.

Anil Chamar alias Samrat, 'Western Regional Bureau Chief' of Madheshi Mukti Tigers (MMT), was killed by the Police at Rohani Khola, border of Nawalparasi and Rupandehi Districts. According to the District Police Office, Rupandehi, Chamar died in the clash after he attacked on a patrol team of Police. Samrat was living at Syathi VDC-8 of Nawalparasi District.

Three people, including the driver, were injured in a bomb attack on a bus at local Volti in Mahottari District.

The UCPN-M in its CC meeting approved the political dossier of its chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda by majority votes, according to Nepal News.

Special Committee (for supervision, integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants) is gearing up to deploy monitors to supervise 21 satellite camps where Maoist fighters are billeted, the combatants have objected to the idea, arguing that they need a 'separate order' from their mother party, the UCPN-M. "We are at the final stage of deploying monitors, but the camp commanders are in opposition. They say they have yet to receive an order from party high command," a non-Maoist member in the SC Secretariat said.

The major three parties - UCPN-M, NC and CPN-UML - have agreed to speed up the constitution-drafting process.

Minister for Education, Gangala Tuladhar, has said that peace and constitution are the top priorities of the Government and support and collaboration from the main opposition party NC is a must to meet such goals, according to Himalayan Times.

The RPP-N urged three major political parties - UCPN-M, CPN-UML and NC -- to dump the ideas of federalism and secularism thereby creating a favourable environment for the reinstatement of monarchy in the country,. RPP-N claimed to establish constitutional monarchy and Hindu kingdom through street demonstrations if the big three parties failed to rethink over the issues of secularism, federalism and republic state. The RPP-N leaders demanded that the Government ensure the dissolution of the CA it parties failed to draft the constitution by May 28 deadline.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on Nepal's rival parties to step up efforts to agree a new constitution.

The FATF-a global anti-money laundering body formed by G-20-may blacklist Nepal if it fails to meet its commitment regarding anti money laundering and terrorist financing by June 23 when FATF's holds its annual meeting. This is the warning issued by APG on Money Laundering Executive Secretary Gordon Hook during his meeting with speaker Subas Nembang. APF is an anti-money laundering body that monitors this region on compliance of anti-money laundering measures. Nepal is an APG member.

One Police Constable, Ambika Pokharel, injured when a group of unidentified assailants shot at him in Jhapa District. Sources said that the armed assailants opened fire at Constable Ambika Pokharel, who was currently posted at Birtamod Area Police Office, near the Aduwa Bridge in Birtamod at around 6 pm.

Police arrested three persons, Tej Kumar Mahato, Santosh Mahato and Basanta Kumar Mahato, along with weapons from Mahottari District. A pistol and five rounds of bullets were also recovered from their possession.

UCPN-Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal warned of agitation from May 29 if the CA is dissolved. The CA term ends on May 28. Addressing the May Day function organised by his party affiliated trade union at Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu Dahal said his party would not tolerate if anyone tried to derail the peace and constitution writing process by conspiracy. Maoists raised the demand for CA and initiated the peace process and we cannot see the CA and the peace process aborted, said Dahal. UCPN (Maoist) central committee has recently adopted a political line that focuses at the peace process and the constitution writing as opposed to the strategy of people's revolt passed by the parties Palungtar plenum.

Peace and Reconstruction Minister Barsha Man Pun has claimed that the UCPN (Maoist) has transformed into a democratic party like others as it has approved the democratic path.

Ruling coalition partners UCPN-M and CPN-UML agreed to extend CA's term that expires on May 28 after forging consensus with other political parties.

Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal said the constitution drafting process can move ahead smoothly only after the peace process is taken to a logical conclusion.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Information and Communications, Krishna Bahadur Mahara, said that the Government would make public a draft of new constitution before May 28. Mahara said the Government would issue a draft constitution by May 28, as it would be impossible to promulgate a full statute without consensus among the political parties.

Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal Chairperson Kamal Thapa argued that another extension of the CA will serve no purpose; instead it will lead the country to a greater crisis. Thapa claimed that the country's situation will remain the same no matter how many times the CA term is extended and the best way out is to go for elections after dissolving the CA. Furthermore, he blamed the CA elections without first managing Maoist combatants and their weapons for the present situation.

UCPN-M has got the Home Ministry in the latest expansion of cabinet. Deputy Prime Minister and Maoist leader in the Government, Krishna Bahadur Mahara, who held the communication portfolio, was appointed Home Minister.

MJF, CPN-United, CPN-ML Socialist also joined govt. He inducted eight ministers and four state ministers from the UCPN-M, three ministers and a state minister from the MJF and one minister from each CPN-United and CPN-ML Socialist.

UCPN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda's move to recommend Krishna Bahadur Mahara as a Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs has irked the hardliner faction led by Vice Chairman Mohan Baidya and his close aides.

NC President Sushil Koirala and other senior party leaders accused the UCPN-M of not being responsible about concluding the constitution and peace process on time. Koirala said the Maoists are not in favour of drafting the constitution on time and taking the peace process to a logical end.

Explosives were found in a passenger bus that was heading for Janakpur (Dhanusa District) from Kakdbhitta in Jhapa District. Police found the explosives in the bus at Purano Bhansar in Kakadbhitta in the course of checking the vehicle.

Newly-appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Upendra Yadav said he will not allow any anti-India activity in Nepali soil.

Unidentified gunmen shot dead a UCPN-M cadre in Rampurbirta area of Siraha District. Two motorcycle-borne assailants shot dead Bindeshwar Mahato at Manaharwa Chok near his house.

UCPN-M 'chairman' Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda said that the party has prepared a clear-cut action plan for the integration and rehabilitation of the combatants staying in the cantonments to give a head-start to the peace process before May 28.

Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala remarked that the peace and constitution drafting processes would not be possible if the UCPN-M continued its lust for arms and maintained communist mindset. He added that the adherence to the communist ideology that has become extinct from the world would lead the Maoists to its downfall just like other tyrants.

NC is to seek a written commitment from the ruling parties, especially the UCPN-M, on completing outstanding issues in both the peace and statute writing processes before agreeing to extend the CA.

May 21

Three coalition partners decided to put forth common proposal to take the peace process to a logical conclusion.

Police arrested a suspected bomber in possession of an IED and a cache of explosives from Gongabu in the Capital Kathmandu.

Leaders of Samyukta Loktantrik Madheshi Morcha threatened another revolt in Madhesh if the Government extends the tenure of the CA with majority votes.

NC lawmakers, including Parliamentary Party leader Ram Chandra Poudel and Chief Whip Laxman Prasad Ghimire, had said they would allow the Government to table the amendment bill in May 22 session. The main opposition had prepared to raise its concerns including its 10-point charter of demands during the theoretical discussion on the bill.

UCPN-M standing committee meeting suspended Janak Bartaula for three months for threatening Vice Chairman Baburam Bhattarai.

The chiefs of the largest three political parties in the ruling coalition have prepared a proposal for army integration and constitution drafting.

Likewise, the chiefs of the three ruling parties have proposed to prepare an integrated draft of the new constitution within eight weeks from May 28. They have proposed to complete the constitution in April 2012 by completing all procedures including taking it to the people for feedback and organising interactions, seminars and workshops for advice.

UCPN-M Vice Chairman Mohan Baidhya, Secretary C. P. Gajurel, Dev Prasad Gurung and Netra Bikram Chand signed note of dissent on the last day of the standing committee meeting of the party.

The Government's bid to table the Interim Constitution amendment bill proposing a one year extension of the CA fell through on May 22 in face of opposition from the main opposition NC.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon voiced concern that despite the fast-approaching deadline for Nepal's Constituent Assembly to complete its work, there is still no agreement on the contentious issues of the integration and rehabilitation of former Maoist combatants and the key elements of a new constitution.

Eight persons were injured when a clash broke out during the management committee meeting of the Khochadas Lower Secondary School in Ranganj Sinuwari in Sunsari District. The clash erupted between supporters of the MJF-L and the UCPN-M after they had disagreement on the appointment of two new teachers under the women and general teacher relief quotas.

The SC ruled out the extension of the CA term, except during a state of emergency or any other special circumstances as per the doctrine of necessity, for six months or less.

The Chairman of the UCPN-M Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda said that the tenure of the CA which expires on May 28 should be extended for "one last time" after seeking apology from the people.

The 10 fringe parties having representation in the CA on concluded that the CA's tenure should be extended only after coming up with a clear road map for constitution drafting and completing the ongoing peace process.

UDMF made it clear that they can't agree on the term extension of the CA unless there is a strong basis for timely constitution drafting and completion of the peace process.

The UCPN-M 'chairman Puspha Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda ruled out submission of weapons possessed by the Peoples Liberation Army cadres to the state authority, saying the process would be "illogical and immature".

UCPN-Maoist secretary C. P. Gajurel declared that his party would not hand over the arms and ammunition to the Government as demanded by NC prior to forging consensus among the parties on the army integration modality.

The UCPN-M is extorting people in Rautahat, Bara and Parsa Districts. The newly-formed Maoist Peoples' Volunteers Bureau is extorting businessmen, Government offices and contractors in the Terai Districts.

The CA term has been extended by another three months. The Legislature Parliament passed the ninth amendment to the interim onstitution in the morning of May 29 to extend the CA term.

The CA term was extended after a five-point agreement among largest three political parties in the CA - UCPN-M, NC and CPN-UML.

Despite strong reservations from the Madhesh-based parties, the Big Three - UCPN-M, Nepali Congress CPN-UML -- have for the second time agreed to form a high-level State Restructuring Commission.

A parliamentary committee led by Speaker Subash Chandra Nemwang is going to be formed to monitor the implementation of the five-point agreement reached among the three largest parties in the CA in the course of extending the CA term.

The three largest parties in the CA are also said to have informally agreed on two other issues-ending dual security being provided to Maoist leaders within a week and issuing a progress report or "white paper" incorporating all contentious issues pertaining to the constitution writing process.

Political parties agreed to extend the tenure of the statute sub-committee formed under the CC to resolve the disputed issues seen in constitution drafting.

PM Jhala Nath Khanal in his televised address to the nation clarified that he was committed to the recent five-point agreement signed by the three major parties that saved the CA.

Political parties agreed to extend the tenure of the statute sub-committee formed under the CC to resolve the disputed issues seen in constitution drafting.

PM Jhala Nath Khanal in his televised address to the nation clarified that he was committed to the recent five-point agreement signed by the three major parties that saved the CA.

The Government extended the term of OHCHR-N by another six months with the same mandate.

UCPN-M in a meeting decided to end the dual security to the party leaders, provided by the State and the PLA, "as soon as possible".

The CC sent the report submitted by the Committee for State Restructuring and Power Sharing to the sub-committee formed under it to resolve disputed issues seen in constitution drafting.

Peace Minister Bishwonath Sah said the Government is going to send letters to armed groups operating in Terai and eastern hills, asking them to come to the negotiating table.

The Special Committee on Supervision, Integration and Rehabilitation of Maoist combatants decided to appoint 120-member surveyor's team deploy them to the cantonment sites for regrouping of the Maoist combatants.

The combatants would be divided into three groups-those opting to be integrated into the security forces, those opting to be rehabilitated back into the society and those opting voluntary retirement.

UCPN-M's decision to abandon their double security system, the leaders decided to send the 100 Maoist security combatants to their respective cantonments (those registered inside the valley would be sent to the Shaktikhor cantonment). The weapons held by them would be locked in the Shaktikhor 'container'.

A cadre of Terai Mukti Tigers, identified as Ashnarayan Saha Kalwar, sustained serious injury when an unidentified group opened fire at him along the By-pass road section of Birgunj.

In a strategic move, UCPN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda is preparing to shift his focus for the time being to the constitution writing process to ensure that it moves ahead simultaneously with the peace process in the next three months.

AISC decided to start the catagorisation of the cantoned Maoist combatants at the earliest.

CPN-UML has floated the time-bound action plan for completing the peace process and new statute.

UCPN-M approved the five-point deal struck by the three major parties - UCPN-M, CPN-UML and NC- on May 28 to pave the way for the extension of CA tenure.

Maoist leader Barsha Man Pun said that Prachanda, his party Chairman, would not become the Prime Minister as he has no such plans for the time being.

The UCPN-M formally began the process of sending Peoples' Liberation Army (PLA) combatants deployed for the security of Maoist leaders to cantonments.

Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal reiterated that he would resign only after parties forge national consensus on the leadership of new Government.

The UCPN-M spokesperson Dina Nath Sharma said that his party might choose Vice-chairman Baburam Bhattarai as the "right candidate" to lead the next National Unity Government as chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal is not interested in becoming the next Prime Minister.

Unified Marxist Leninist leader Pradeep Gyawali clarified that the party won't bargain for leadership in the next Government.

The AISC unveiled the first phase of the action plan for integration of the Maoist combatants on June 6 reports Nepalnews.com.

The CPN-UML Vice Chairperson Bidya Devi Bhandari remarked that a new constitution could not be promulgated unless without completely disarming the UCPN-M no matter how many times the Constituent Assembly's term is extended.

UDMF, an alliance of five Madhesh based political parties with a collective strength of about 70 members in the 601-member CA, has decided not to accept a constitution that does not include the provision of a single autonomous Madhesh State.

The AISC made public another schedule for the integration and rehabilitation of the PLA combatants, aiming to conclude the regrouping of the combatants by August 27.

79 PLA combatants who were deployed for the security of UCPN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda and other leaders have already reached Shaktikhor in Chitwan District by June 7.

The hardliner faction of the UCPN-M led by Vice-Chairman Mohan Baidya that had written a note of decent against ending the dual security system being provided to Maoist leaders opposed to send the PLA combatants back to their respective cantonments.

The MJF-L Chairman Bijaya Gachchadar said that around 6,000 former PLA combatants could be integrated into the Security Forces.

Reports indicate that though UCPN-M expressed their commitment in public to camp all the combatants and arms used to provide security to Maoist leaders in third division in Shaktikhor, it has not yet been implemented in practice. Only 32 combatants - five on last June 5 and 27 on June 7 - have only been brought back to Shaktikhor division.

Prachanda assured the PLA 'commanders' that Army integration will be done in a 'respectable' manner. "He assured of respectable integration. Prachanda also asked the commanders and the combatants not to be divided because of the differences of opinion among party leaders, added the source. It is learnt that the commanders requested the party leadership to insist on integrating least 10,000 PLA members and demand the "top command of the joint force to be established".

The sub-committee formed by the Constitutional Committee to narrow down disputes in the new constitution has set a deadline of August 18 to resolve the outstanding disputes and prepare the first draft of the new constitution. In a meeting, the sub-committee decided complete the first draft latest by August 18, ten days before the CA term expires.

A meeting of the (AISC) evaluated the progress made so far regarding the integration of PLA combatants.

The Government decided to allow the secretariat of the AISC to appoint 120 officials to speed up its works. Among the 120 officials, 72 are section officers and 48 computer officers.

sub-committee, formed under the CC to settle disputed issues seen in constitution drafting, couldn't form a separate taskforce to forge consensus on key disputed issues including the forms of governance, state restructuring and electoral system.

UCPN-M leader Barshaman Pun ruled out the possibility of handing over the arms before the integration of PLA combatants. He said arms and other objects belonging to combatants would be submitted to the Special Committee along with their integration.

Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal reiterated that the Government is committed to completing the peace process and the new Constitution on time adding that there has been progress in both the tasks lately.

A meeting of the AISC held discussion on the modality for the integration of former (PLA) combatants into the Security Forces.

Minister for Physical Planning and Works Top Bahadur Rayamajhi urged all political parties as well as peace process stakeholders to unite to ensure new constitution and lasting peace in the country.

June 13

A team of the Army Integration Special Committee Secretariat has started monitoring the PLA Third Division camp in Chitwan.

A group close to UCPN-M, the Upper Karnali Struggle Committee, has warned to protest again if the Government awards the construction contract of Upper Karnali hydropower project to the Indian company GMR.

June 14

The (NA) cleared its land minefield located at Phulchowki in Lalitpur District, marking the conclusion of the de-mining works.

The CPN-UML urged the main opposition (NC) and coalition partner UCPN-M) to quit issuing threats of nationwide agitation and people?s revolt.

A cadre of the MCC-N, an underground armed group, was arrested from Khalanga, the district headquarters of Jajarkot District, Police arrested Yuddha Bir Singh alias Ramsingh, who is said to be the Midwestern in-charge of MCC-N.  Charges of arms possession and arson have already been filed against Ramsingh. The outfit that became underground for the past three months had set ablaze a bulldozer at the construction site of Mid-Hill highway.

UCPN-M cadres ?looted? maize planted in about seven bighas (nearly 4.3 hectares) of land in Jogidaha VDC in Udayapur District. 

June 15

The taskforce formed to settle the contentious issues related to constitution drafting under the Dispute Resolution Subcommittee started discussions on forging consensus on the forms of governance.

UCPN-M Vice Chairman Baburam Bhattarai remarked that leaders of major political parties, including his party (Maoists) are striving to dissolve the CA.

The Government has decided to deploy Nepal Army soldiers for the security of sensitive hydropower projects.

June 16

Top three leaders of the UCPN-M expressed their commitment to take the party ahead in unison, dispelling the speculations about deep divide within the party.

Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda said that he would make every possible effort in his capacity as the party chairman to keep the party unity intact.

The MoHA claimed that the number of armed outfits operating across the country has significantly come down, thanks to the government?s operations against the groups that were launched nationwide one-and-a-half years ago.

June 17

President Ram Baran Yadav expressed serious concern over political parties unable to come to an agreement on the issue of peace process and constitution drafting.

CPN-UML urged its YAN to cooperate with the security agency on the investigation of the attack on Nagarik journalist Khilanath Dhakal. Dhakal was attacked on June 5. The prime accused Parsuram Basnet is a member of the YAN

June 18

Minister for Physical Planning and Work Top Bahadur Rayamajhi said that the (PLA) combatants should hand over their arms only after their integration.

June 19

As the deadline to finalise the Army integration model comes closer, it has become certain that the AISC will miss the deadline to fix the number of former combatants to integrate and the model of integration.

The taskforce formed at the coordination of Sadbhawana Party leader Laxman Lal Karna by the UCPN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda-led sub-committee formed by the CC to resolve disputes in the new constitution has decided to propose a mixed model having both President and Prime Minister with shared executive authority as the form of governance in the new constitution.

Top two leaders of the UCPN-Maoist ? chairman Prachanda and Vice Chairman Mohan Baidya ? who are at odds on several issues in the recent days have started fence mending exercise from June 19.

The NC leader Gopal Man Shrestha said if the UCPN-M fail to make concrete progress in the peace process as agreed in the five-point deal by mid July, his party would lay claim to the Government leadership.

June 20

Police constable Purna Shrestha got injured when an unidentified gang detonated a socket bomb at Ganeshpur Police Station in Bardiya. The explosion caused partial damage to the Police Station.

About 70 UCPN-M cadres abducted three cadres of the CPN-UML and a minor in Makwanpur District. The incident occurred following a dispute over shifting Dandakhaka VDC office in the District the day before. The abducted UML cadres were identified as Lalit Moktan, Tularam Moktan, Padmeshwor Shangtan and his twelve-year-old daughter, sources said.

Top leaders of the major three parties-UCPN-M, NC and CPN-UML-held an informal discussions on the implementation of the five-point pact, peace and statue-drafting. The discussion was continuation of the big three parties' efforts to forge consensus on the details of the integration and rehabilitation process of former Maoist combatants-a key part of the four-year-old peace process.

Further, the taskforce formed to settle the contentious issues related to constitution drafting under the Dispute Resolution Sub-committee decided to propose 'French Model' for power sharing in the new statute. The taskforce led-by Sadbhawana Party leader Laxman Lal Karna decided to propose the model in which the executive power rests upon the president and is aided by the prime minister with limited powers to run the day-to-day administration. Earlier, the CPN-UML had also proposed the same model during the three-party meeting.

NC Central Committee member Khum Bahadur Khadka said that the NC will not go for fresh elections at any cost until the weapons of the PLA combatants were managed, reports Nepal News. He said the Maoist's weapons should be managed prior to the next elections.

June 21

Nepal is ranked 27th in the list of the 'most failed states' by the Foreign Policy magazine.

Representatives of foreign employment agencies met Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara and urged him to provide Security to foreign employment agencies. A sense of panic gripped the foreign employment agencies after unidentified assailants opened fire inside Grand Shikhar Manpower Company in Kathmandu on June 20.

June 22

SFs arrested a teen identified as Pawan Rai (14) with explosives at Kakadbhitta in Jhapa District. SFs recovered 125 Orika explosives, a detonator and wire from him.

Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal opposed Home Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara's move to withdraw cases filed against UCPN-M leaders and cadres. According to a source at the Prime Minister's Office, the Maoist party and the CPN-UML are at loggerheads about withdrawing the cases filed since the time of the insurgency.

June 23

The plan to deploy 120 surveyors in Maoist cantonment sites to regroup PLA combatants from June 28 was put on hold because of the deadlock on the integration modality and rehabilitation package issues. The Secretariat of the Prime Minister-led Special Committee that was supposed to send 72 section officers and 42 computer operators to profile the combatants on June 24 reviewed its decision on June 23. The panel agreed to shortlist the candidates to be now deployed on June 29. "More than 2,100 individuals filed applications for the job. We will try to complete the recruitment by next week," said Special Committee Secretariat member Deepak Prakash Bhatta.

UCPN-M Central Committee is meeting from June 24 in a bid to resolve the escalating rift between Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda and hardliner Mohan Baidya. The central committee could declare the general convention as a tool to diffuse the ongoing dispute.

Sadbhawana Party Chairman Rajendra Mahato said that his party would pressurise the three major parties, UCPN -M, NC and CPN-UML to execute the five-point deal. He warned that his party would opt for struggle if the deal is not carried out as agreed.

June 24

Chairperson of Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum (Republican) Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta, while speaking at a programme organised in Sunsari District headquarters Inaruwa to inaugurate party office and to honour martyr's families and conflict victim families, claimed that the country was still in the conflict-ridden state since the state did not seriously hold talks with conflicting armed groups in Madhes and mid-eastern mountainous region.

The Legislature-Parliament meet endorsed the international anti-terrorism conventions, reports Kantipuronline. International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism 1999 and the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime were passed by the House.

UCPN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda proposed opening up discussions on both ideological and political differences in the crucial Central Committee meeting. Dahal said besides public discussions, the party could form a separate internal forum to discuss and forge consensus. Dahal's proposal comes in response to the demand of Vice-chairmen Mohan Baidya and Baburam Bhattarai to scrap the party's "restrictive" five-point code and allow open discussions on dissenting voices at all tiers.

June 26

The UCPN-M 'Chairman' Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda has tried to assure other parties that he would not deviate from the line of peace and constitution, reports Kantipuronline.

Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal and main coalition partner UCPN-M chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda held discussion on the latest political situation of the country including ongoing peace process and constitution drafting on June 28. During the meeting held at PM Khanal's official residence in Baluwatar, in Kathmandu, both agreed to intensify consultation with opposition parties for the effective implementation of the five-point agreement signed by the three major parties -UCPN-M, Nepali Congress and CPN-UML on May 28 which led to the extension of the Constituent Assembly's deadline by three months.

SFs recovered a bomb from a bus, heading towards Kathmandu from Nepalgunj town, at Rajha in Banke District.

UCPN-M chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda dismissed speculations that the Maoist party was heading for a vertical split. Dahal claimed that the ongoing dispute and discourse should be construed as an 'exercise to transform the party and consolidate unity' and that the party was not at all going to split. Dahal's statement comes at a time when he has not been able to conduct the central committee meeting due to factional dispute even after calling the meeting.

UCPN-M 'vice-chairman' Narayan Kaji Shrestha said the party's internal meetings will resume only after the resolution of outstanding issues, including those related to the annual budget and government policies and programmes, He said that we have started talks with the Government for the resolution of the issues. Our party's internal meetings will take place only after the resolution of issues with the Government. Shrestha said the issues include dues to be paid to the martyrs' kin and to those hurt during the people's war, besides the finalisation of proportional representation in the government.

According to leaders close to (UCPN-M) 'Chairman' Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda, Vice-chairman Baburam Bhattarai could become the prime ministerial candidate of the party if he meets certain pre-conditions put forth by Party Chairman.. Prachanda, according to his confidants, asked Bhattarai not to indulge in factionalism and support him in the party. His new offer comes at a time when Bhattarai is making alliance with another Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya on some organisational issues to end Dahal's monopoly in the party.

Meanwhile, the Morang district committee of the UCPN-Maoist urged all not to provide any kind of financial support and donation to anyone in the name of the Maoist party.

CPN-UML lawmakers including those loyal to Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal raised serious objection to the use of phrase 'People's War' in the policies and programmes presented by the Government at the Parliament on July 3.

SFs arrested six militants of the TJPM, an underground Terai outfit, over the past three days in Saptari District.

Janatantrik Terai Madhesh Mukti Party, an outfit waging an armed struggle in the Terai region, detonated an Improvised Explosive Device at the Gulariya customs office in Bardiya District. However, no casualty was reported in the blast.

The Parliament passed the Government's policies and programmes with a majority vote and also gave a vote of thanks to President Ram Baran Yadav for presenting them in the House on July 3.

Political parties and journalists in Parsa District accused police of terrorising the people in the name of maintaining peace and security. Besides, CPN-UML, Nepali Congress and Sadbhavana parties' District leadership urged Police to stop asking for kickbacks from farmers while bringing fertilisers from India.

SC meeting of UCPN-M, the largest party in the CA, ended without reaching any conclusion on the serious intra-party dispute that ails the party.

July 10

JTMM-R put forth an eight-point condition for holding talks with the Government. The JTMM-R 'chairman' Rajan Mukti laid out the conditions in response to an invitation letter sent by Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Bishwonath Sah on June 12 for talks.

UCPN-M, called its central committee on July 13. The party standing committee that met for less than an hour at party headquarters in Koteshwar District called the central committee meeting from July 13 this week. According to party spokesperson Dinanath Sharma, the standing committee will meet again on July 12 , one day before the central committee meet, to finalise the agenda for the central committee meeting. The standing committee meeting also decided to delegate the task of sorting out the contentions including distribution of power to the central committee.

Lawmakers of the MJF-L Ramananda Manandal and Karima Begum received letters from their party seeking clarification within 72 hours on their alleged tilt towards the UCPN-M.

July 11

NC leader Sher Bahadur Deuba asserted that he was in the race for the PM,. Deuba said the peace process and constitution-drafting could move forward only when the NC gets the leadership of the next "national consensus Government" and that he might as well stake claim for the post of the Prime Minister.

July 12

various armed outfits planted IEDs at four places in Sunsari and Udayapur Districts. All the IEDs were defused later. 

An IED was recovered at the gate of a saving and credit cooperative company in Inaruwa, the District headquarters of Sunsari. Elsewhere in the District, another IED was found on the premises of Revenue Investigation Office in Itahari. The Janatantrik Terai Madhesh Mukti Party, an armed outfit, claimed responsibility for planting the IED at the revenue office.  

In Dharan in Udayapur District, Khambuwan Mukti Morcha Samyukta, a regional ethnic group spearheading separate statehood, planted an IED on the premises of Inland Revenue Office.  The outfit also claimed responsibility for an IED that was planted at a crusher factory in Tapeshwori (VDC)-9.

UCPN-M general secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa ?Badal?, attended a ?secret? joint strategic meeting of the Mohan Baidya and Baburam Bhattarai camps. Thapa expressed dissatisfaction at the working style of ?chairman? Puspa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda and stressed on the need to develop a culture of multiple-post leadership at the meeting, leaders present at the meeting said.

July 13

The meeting of the UCPN-M standing committee, which was scheduled to take place on July 13 was put off amid mounting internal dispute. The standing committee meeting was called to discuss ways to manage the internal rift and set agendas for July 14 central committee meeting.. Maoist spokesperson Dina Nath Sharma said that standing committee meeting would be held on July 14.

July 15

One person, identified as Bikram Saud (12), was killed and another, identified as Babita Saud (5), was injured when an abandoned explosive went off at Bindabasini-7 in the far-western Achham District .

an emergency meeting of the CSC held in Singha Durbar issued a high alert across the country to prevent any untoward incidents in the wake of coordinated blasts in Mumbai on July 13. The CSC meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara directed the security agencies to keep vigil on suspects in Tribhuvan International Airport and porous borders. The meeting was summoned to discuss the impact of Mumbai terrorist attacks in Nepal.

July 17

UCPN-M chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda not only bowed to demands of rival factions within the party but also offered to reshuffle the party organization and the party?s representation in the Cabinet,. The rift among party?s top leadership ? Dahal and vice chairmen duo Mohan Baidya and Baburam Bhattarai - that has virtually driven the party to a brink of a split was also discussed during meeting,

The five-member taskforce formed by the UCPN-M to make recommendations on a number of agenda suggested the party leadership to replace Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara in the Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal's Government with ?vice-chairman? Narayan Kaji Shrestha. 

UCPN-M member Barshaman Pun told the Special Committee (on supervision, integration and rehabilitation of the Maoist combatants) that the peace process will gain momentum once the party?s Central Working Committee resolves prickly issues.

District in-charge of the JTMMM, Bachha Yadav alias Shumsher Singh, was shot dead by two unidentified assailants on July 17 in Birgunj in Parsa District.

SFs arrested Suraj Singh alias Jitan, a District committee member of the JTMM-J, from Garuda in Rautahat District.

UCPN-M 'Chairman' Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda prepared a detailed proposal on reshuffling the Cabinet and internal power-sharing, in which he expressed willingness to nominate secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa as a head of the party's military commission to be formed in due time and delegate executive powers to Mohan Baidya, who is already the party's head of organisation department.

SP 'Chairman' Rajendra Mahato warned to launch a stern protest if the new party formed by lawmaker Anil Kumar Jha was given legitimacy.

UCPN-M 'secretary' C.P Gajurel claimed that Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal agreed to hand over the Government leadership to his party after August 31 while signing the seven-point agreement with the Maoist party, reports Nepal News. Gajurel said that his party did not pressurise Jhala Nath Khanal to step down as he had already agreed to make way for the Maoists after August 31.

Top leaders from UCPN-M and NC discussed the implementation of five-point agreement signed by chiefs of the three largest political parties in the Constituent Assembly - UCPN-M, NC and (CPN-UML) - before the extension of the CA term on May 28.

UCPN-M 'vice chairmen' trio - Mohan Baidya, Baburam Bhattarai and Narayan Kaji Shrestha - decided at a meeting to pressure party 'chairman' Puspha Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda to divide key responsibilities among leaders and end the dual responsibilities given to some of the leaders.

In the Standing Committee meeting, leaders of all the three factions of the UCPN-M, said that their differences should be tabled before the CC for discussions and eventually put to vote should they fail to find common ground.

Constituent Assembly 'chairman' Subas Nemwang met Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal and discussed the implementation of the five-point agreement between the three major parties.

(SFs) arrested JTMM 'army commander' Bulan Yadav alias Jaya Mukt in Siraha District along with explosives and pistol making accessories.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the UCPN-M) office-bearers failed to find a way out of the ongoing row over power-sharing in the party.

CPN-UML national conclave - a meeting of district chairmen, zonal coordinators and central level officials - is beginning on July 23 in Dhulikhel of Kavre District. The national conclave was called to collect suggestions from the local committees to set agenda for the upcoming meeting of the National Representative Council.

SFs arrested a UCPN-M cadre, identified as Shyam Magar (24), for possessing firearm in Kathmandu. SFs recovered a revolver and two rounds from his possession.

President Ram Baran Yadav expressed his belief that the twin task of peace and statute drafting processes would be accomplished in time.

UCPN-M central committee decided to call back ministers and state ministers from the party in the Jhala Nath Khanal Government and send a new team led by vice chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha.

Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal said that the important task of promulgating the new constitution and taking the ongoing peace process to a logical conclusion must be accomplished through the CA itself.

SFs arrested four cadres of JTMM-R, from Siraha District on the charge of their involvement in different bomb explosion cases.

The national conclave of the ruling CPN-UML failed to sort out longstanding differences between the party establishment led by Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal and his rival camp led by senior leaders KP Sharma Oli and Madhav Kumar Nepal.

Top leaders of the UCPN-M tried to allay the fears of Nepali Congress, saying the decision to reshuffle the Cabinet will not affect the five-point deal implementation and peace and constitution-drafting processes.

SFs in Kathmandu arrested a person, identified as Muhammed Zahir, who was communicating with a number under watch in connection with the 13/7 Mumbai blasts. The suspect, an Indian citizen based in Nepal for the past several years, has in the past worked in Mumbai and Bangladesh, sources said.

The Jhapa chapter of the FNJ and five media bodies censured the threat issued to media houses by JTMM.

A meeting of senior leaders of the two main ruling allies UCPN-M and CPN-UML was inconclusive as both sides remained firm in their stances over the Maoist central committee's decision to change its team to the Government.

The main opposition party NC decided to mount pressure on Khanal to step down and pave the way for formation of a new national consensus government.

NC President Sushil Koirala proposed UCPN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda to lead the new "national unity government" by taking "concrete steps" to complete the peace process and draft the constitution.

NC called on fringe parties to join its protest demanding prime minister's resignation.

PM Jhala Nath Khanal is prepared to reshuffle the Cabinet once the Maoist party comes up with a concrete proposal on peace and statute.

CPN-UML standing committee decided not to go for cabinet reshuffle as proposed by the UCPN-M.

The UCPN-M has warned to withdraw its support to the Government if PM Jhala Nath Khanal fails to reshuffle the Maoist ministers as per the decision of its Central Committee meeting.

PM Jhala Nath Khanal hinted that he will reshuffle his cabinet on August 1 by inducting some new ministers recommended by the UCPN-M.

UCPN-M had given him ultimatum to reshuffle the cabinet by August 1.

With a view to ending the escalating spat between the two ruling parties, UCPN-M and CPN-UML, Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda on July 31 tried to downplay differences between the two parties and said substantial progress will be made on the peace and constitution writing processes by August 31.

SFs recovered a home-made pistol and four bullets from two people at Baglung Municipality-1 in Baglung District.

Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal said that he will resign from his post if he failed to take steps to take the peace process forward by August 13.

PM Jhala Nath Khanal proposed to go for a rotational system with leadership in turn for the remaining period of the transitional phase.

CPN-UML Central Disciplinary Commission said that party Chairman and PM Jhala Nath Khanal breached the party tradition and procedure by disregarding the request of a majority of CPN-UML Standing Committee members and inducting the new ministers in his Cabinet, reports Kantipuronline.

NC president Sushil Koirala, CPN-UML senior leader Mahdav Kumar Nepal and TMLP chairman Mahanta Thakur urged UCPN-M 'chairman' Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda to take lead of the peace process and new constitution drafting.

Nepali Congress General Secretary Prakashman Singh said that his party will continue obstructing parliament until Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal resigns as per the five-point agreement.

President Dr Ram Baran Yadav urged leaders of the three major parties to be serious about the peace and constitution-drafting processes, warning that time was running out to accomplish the tasks.

A bomb exploded at the Nepal Electricity Authority District Centre at Itahari of Sunsari District. No one claimed responsibility so far for the explosions.

UCPN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda said his party would come up with a "rational proposal" to forge consensus on integration and rehabilitation of PLA combatants.

Two major points - disciplinary action against party Chairman and Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal and the formation of a national consensus Government - have been included in the agenda for the UML's CC meeting starting August 6.

The Standing Committee meeting of UCPN-M decided to expedite the tasks of regrouping Maoist combatants and the army integration process.

Chairman of the Sadbhawana Party, Rajendra Mahato said that the three major political parties should be responsible to conclude the peace process and forge national consensus.

Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal's proposed address to the House on August 8 failed to convince Nepali Congress, with the main opposition continuing to obstruct parliamentary proceedings.

UCPN-M spokesperson Dinanath Sharma informed that the party was planning to take forward the regrouping process of its combatants within August 13 after reaching an understanding with the political parties on the number of PLA combatants to be integrated and the rehabilitation package.

The vice chairman of UCPN-M, Baburam Bhattarai said that he was averse to leading a majority Government.

A UCPN-M student leader, identified as Saroj Gautam, supporting party Vice-chairman Baburam Bhattarai was injured in an attack by fellow student leaders representing the faction led by party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda in Pokhara in Kaski District.

With three weeks left for the extended deadline of CA to expire, UCPN-M vice Chairman Baburam Bhattarai expedited parleys within and outside the party to form a national consensus Government under his leadership.

CPN-UML central committee meeting was put off because party Chairman and PM Jhala Nath Khanal was indisposed.

SFs recovered a socket bomb in Nera Primary School at Kawahigoth-5 of Bara District. Bhumi Yadav, District In charge of Janatantrik Tarai Madhes Mukti Morcha (JTMMM), took the responsibility for planting the bomb.

The House got down to business after a hiatus of more than two weeks as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Bharat Mohan Adhikary read out a letter from Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal expressing 'commitment to resign on August 13 if no tangible progress could be made by then'.

With the possibility of Jhala Nath Khanal's resignation getting stronger, NC senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba and party Vice-president and Parliamentary Party leader Ramchandra Paudel have intensified internal exercise to garner support to become the prime ministerial candidate from the party.

Uncertainty over PM Jhala Nath Khanal's resignation continued with the Maoists trying to persuade the PM to change his mind and the NC remaining averse to any piecemeal deal to immediately start the regrouping process that would have given the PM some face-saving room, reports Kantipuronline.

Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal and UCPN-M chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda agreed to take key decisions for completing the peace process including determining the modality of integration, number of combatants to be integrated and rehabilitation packages before Khanal's resignation.

In the wake of nearing deadline of the CA, President Ram Baran Yadav expressed disappointment towards the major political parties for making 'power' the central agenda instead of peace and constitution.

NC was likely to go for a "compromise formula" to head off a possible skirmish over the party's PM candidate, said leaders involved in negotiations with NC leader Sher Bahadur Deuba and Ram Chandra Poudel. The compromise, according to leaders, was to pick Deuba as the party's PM candidate keeping Poudel as the parliamentary party leader.

Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal is preparing to float a package proposal in a meeting of the big three parties slated for August 13.

A planned cultural show was driving a wedge in the UCPN-M fold in Itahari in Sunsari District.

PM Jhala Nath Khanal said that there was no alternative to National unity Government.

UCPN-M Standing Committee Member Bahadur Rayamajhi claimed that his party Vice Chairman Baburam Bhattari would be the next Prime Minister through majority basis if the parties fail to forge a consensus on the same.

NC and the CPN-UML agreed to accept UCPN-M led Government if the latter presents a work calendar to logically conclude the peace process and forge consensus among the political parties on it. CPN-UML Secretary Shankar Pokharel and NC central member Arjun Narsing KC revealed such statement.

Nepal's major political parties disagreed on who should replace the PM who resigned on August 14, pushing the country back into the year's long political crisis that has left it without a constitution or a stable Government.

Caretaker PM Jhala Nath Khanal defended the Government's actions and his "efforts for consensus" made during his six-month tenure.

CPN-UML Party, will not lay claim to the leadership of the new Government.

Even before the expiry of the August 31 deadline for drafting of the new constitution, CPN-UML leader K.P Oli said that the term of the Constituent Assembly, which is mandated to promulgate the new constitution, will be extended once again.

CA Chairman Subash Nemwang remarked that Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal's resignation mark the implementation of one of the points of the five-point deal between the three major parties and drew the attention of the Political Parties to implement other points of the deal to ensure peace and constitution.

NC named senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba as its candidate for leading a national unity Government on August 16.

UCPN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda said that he fully backed party Vice-chairman Baburam Bhattarai's candidacy for the PM berth and clarified that he himself recommended Bhattarai's name for the post.

UDMF, an alliance of five Madheshi parties decided to field their own prime ministerial candidate if the major parties fail to agree on formation of the national unity Government.

Meeting of the CPN-UML CC was postponed. According to CPN-UML central party office, the meeting was deferred till Aug 22 as top leaders remained busy in holding dialogue with NC and UCPN-M for the formation of consensus Government.

UCPN-M started consultations with other Political Parties in order to garner support for its Prime Ministerial candidate Baburam Bhattarai. Maoist representatives, including Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda, met five chairmen and other senior leaders of the constituent parties of (UDMF) at Singha Durbar for the purpose.

NC senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba and UCPN-M Vice Chairman Baburam Bhattai-two prime ministerial candidates for the future Government-held a meeting in Kathmandu.

UCPN-M Standing Committee member Barsha Man Pun said that his party will lead the much anticipated national consensus Government as the political parties are close to reaching an agreement on important issues concerning the ongoing peace process including regrouping of the Maoist combatants - separating those to be integrated and rehabilitated.

UDMF urged the NC and UCPN-M to agree on a single Prime Ministerial candidate for a national consensus Government.

UCPN-M and CPN-UML leaders said that the discussion held between the leaders of two parties was positive.

Vice President Parmananda Jha expressed hope that the parties would be able to form a national consensus Government by Aug 21-the deadline given by President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav to the political parties, reports Kantipuronline.

The Kathmandu DAO issued prohibitory orders in a number of sensitive areas in the capital from August 18 in view of possible agitations ahead of the expiry of the Constituent Assembly's tenure on August 31.

A programme launched four years ago to resettle Bhutanese refugees in eastern Nepal camps crossed 50,000 mark on August 1, UNHCR Nepal revealed on August 18.

Caretaker Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal said that the political parties are trying to push the nation towards doom by forming another majority Government.

With NC and UCPN-M both refusing to budge from their respective stances and CPN-UML indecisive, a national unity Government by the August 22 deadline set by the President appears elusive.

The parliamentary committee formed to monitor the implementation of the five-point agreement between the three major parties - UCPN-M, NC and CPN-UML- urged the parties to form national consensus Government.

Top leaders of two leftist parties - UCPN-M and the CPN-UML- held talks on matters relating to the formation of the national consensus Government.

Samuel Tamrat, special envoy of United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki- Moon, met caretaker Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal to discuss the 'progress' in the peace process.

Nepal's two largest parties failed to come up with a mutually acceptable new (PM), compelling the President, Dr Ram Baran Yadav, to give them three days more as a last-ditch attempt for a national unity Government.

NC Parliamentary Party leader Ram Chandra Poudel said that he will toss his hat in the prime ministerial ring if consensus bid fails and the Parliament opts for a majority Government.

With the Political Parties missing the first deadline to form a national consensus Government, the political leaders have started expressing skepticism about the possibility of forming the much-anticipated consensus Government UCPN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda said the probability of forming a national consensus Government was bleak.

UCPN-M and the NC, which staked claim to the leadership of a national unity Government, are at loggerheads over the handover of weapons that are with former Maoist combatants.

Constituent Assembly Chairman Subash Chandra Nembang urged the political parties to complete the peace process at the earliest.

UCPN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda admitted that 'intra-party' issues as opposed to 'inter-party' differences are forestalling a unity Government for now, but insisted that the parties have agreed to find consensus on peace process, even if a majority Government were to be formed.

Prachanda conferred with TMLP chief Mahanta Thakur regarding Government formation. Dahal told Thakur that it has become certain that the next Government will be a majority Government instead of consensus one and that Bhattarai will lead it.

NC leader Chandra Bhandari said that NC could possibly even withdraw the nomination of its senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba for the prime ministerial post to pave the way for the formation of national consensus Government within the extended deadline of August 24 set by the President.

NC President Sushil Koirala met senior CPN-UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal and requested the latter's support for NC's prime ministerial candidate Sher Bahadur Deuba.

Senior leader of the NC and prime ministerial candidate Sher Bahadur Deuba said that a majority Government was not his option at the moment. He said despite converging on most of the issues, the difference over who should first lead a rotational Government remained unresolved.

The Government registered a Bill in the House seeking a fresh three-month extension of the Constituent Assembly (CA) a week ahead of the CA's term expiry on August 31.

NC leader Sher Bahadur Deuba withdrew his candidacy for the post of Prime Minister. He stated that he would not vie to lead a majority Government.

NC central working committee named its parliamentary party leader Ram Chandra Poudel as the Prime Ministerial candidate.

The UCPN-M decided to go for majority Government under the leadership its vice chairman Babu Ram Bhattarai as party leaders said they lost confidence on garnering support from other political parties to form consensus Government under their leadership.

CPN-UML and fringe parties reached an understanding not to support UCPN-M to lead consensus Government.

NC, CPN-UML, UDMF and other fringe parties accused the UCPN-M of reneging on a previous informal understanding on the peace and constitution drafting processes.

The UCPN-M came up with a time-bound action plan on integration and rehabilitation of its former combatants, with flexible positions on disputed issues.

Amicus curiae suggested that the Supreme Court give its final verdict on term extension of the CA as per the Interim Constitution in such a way that it justifies the term extension as well as ensures timely drafting of the constitution.

UCPN-M Vice-chairman Baburam Bhattarai and NC Parliamentary Party leader Ram Chandra Poudel filed their nominations for the prime ministerial election scheduled for August 28.

Sanjaya Lama, a cadre of the Youth Association Nepal (YAN), the youth wing of CPN-UML, was killed at Kabilas area in Chitwan.

The parliament elected UCPN-M vice chairman Baburam Bhattarai as the 35th Prime Minister of Nepal. Bhattarai received 340 votes while his rival, NC parliamentary party leader Ram Chandra Poudel, received 235 votes. Altogether 575 lawmakers participated in the voting. While UDMF with 65 lawmakers and few fringe parties supported Bhattarai, Ram Chandra Poudel was supported by the CPN-UML and few other parties in the voting. Pro-monarchist RPP-Nepal boycotted the election process.

The newly elected Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai said that expediting the peace process and constitution-drafting and providing relief to the people will be his main priorities.

The Supreme Court annulled the writ petition challenging the validity of the three-month term extension of CA.

A 'can bomb' planted by unidentified people at the main gate of the house of businessman Devraj K.C. at Tulsipur Municipality-8 was recovered.

Newly elected PM Baburam Bhattarai assumed his office in Singha Durbar soon after being sworn in by the President. Along with PM Baburam Bhattarai, MJF-Loktantrik chairman Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar was sworn in as Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. He represents the UDMF.

NC turned down the request made by newly-elected PM to the party to join the UCPN-M-led Government. NC president Sushil Koirala said that his party has no intention whatsoever to join the Maoist-led coalition Government at the moment, adding further that there is little possibility of the party changing its earlier stance to remain in the opposition. He, however, assured the PM of "constructive support" to the Government.

The CA's tenure was extended by three months through the 10th amendment to the Interim Constitution. Earlier, CA's term was extended twice - first by one year and then by three months.

Whereabouts of 835 persons who were disappeared during 10 years-long Maoist insurgency in Nepal are yet to be known, said United Nations Office of High Commissioner of Human Rights in Nepal (OHCHR-Nepal) and NHRC.

Transportation came to a grinding halt in nine eastern Districts due to the bandh (general shut down) called by Sanghiya Rajya Parishad (SRP) led by Sanjuhamg Palungwa. The SRP called three-day eastern District bandh demanding timely statute and guaranteeing Limbhuwan State in the constitution. Normal life in Districts including Sunsari, Morang, Jhapa, Dhankuta, Ilam, Paanchthhar, Taplejung, have been crippled.

PM Baburam Bhattarai reshuffled the Army Integration Special Committee (AISC), hours after the UCPN-M Standing Committee decided to expedite the regrouping process of the ex-combatants from August 31. The NC, however, said the decision to begin regrouping would not make any sense until the parties agree on the integration modality and rehabilitation package. Bhattarai, as the PM, will now chair the eight-member cross-party committee. With the transfer of the Special Committee's leadership to Bhattarai, the Maoists have withdrawn the membership of Janardan Sharma from the panel to maintain proportional representation of all major parties.

NC condemned the four-point deal signed between UCPN-M and UDMF saying that it was an 'ill-attempt' to challenge the rule of law, promote the culture of impunity and breach past agreements between the parties on peace and statute.

PM Bhattarai met CPN-UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal and invited the CPN-UML to join his Government. However, Khanal turned down the invitation but expressed his determination to help the present Government in taking the peace process to logical conclusion and drafting a democratic constitution.

The United States said that Nepal´s Maoists needed to do more to be removed from a terrorism blacklist, even though it hopes to work with a new prime minister from the left-wing movement.

In a major breakthrough in the peace process, the UCPN-M agreed to hand over keys to arms containers to the AISC on September 1. The decision to acquire the arms containers installed at cantonment sites was formalised by the Special Committee led by newly-elected PM Baburam Bhattarai.

Camp secretaries at five places have handed over keys of the weapons containers to the AISC. The places are Dudhauli, Shaktikhor, Jhyaltungdanda, Chulachuli and Dahaban.

Issuing a press release shortly after the handover of the keys in Shaktikhor and Dudhauli, UCPN-Maoist vice chairman Mohan Baidya warned that the decision would be "suicidal" for the Maoist party itself.

Normal life in western Terai was affected as newly-formed Tharuhat Terai Party, led by former minister Gopal Dahit, gave a call for bandh demanding dissolution of Constituent Assembly.

All the seven divisions of the PLA submitted the keys to the AISC. Six divisions had submitted them on September 1.

At least one cadre of the UCPN-M was seriously injured as cadres close to outfit Chairman Prachanda and Vice Chairman Mohan Baidya clashed in Panchkhal of Kavre District. At least 11 other cadres are said to have been injured in the incident. It is understood that the cadres clashed over the issue of handing over the keys to the arms containers to the AISC. The hardliner faction led by Baidya has been protesting against the party's latest move dubbing it as "suicidal."

The Baidya faction called for an hour-long nationwide 'Chakka Jam' (transport strike) protesting against handover of the arms containers' keys. The Baidya faction also boycotted the party Standing Committee meeting. Likewise, party Vice Chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha and General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa also did not show up at the meeting. However, the reason for their absent was not known.

In a press statement, Prachanda said the decision was not against the party's policies and that Baidya's line did not represent the party's position. Dahal urged the party rank and file, PLA combatants and the general public to "exercise restraint" and stick to the party's official decision. The weapons handover, Dahal argued, was in line with the five-point proposal and commitment paper on the peace process and constitution writing endorsed unanimously by the AISC on August 25 and as directed by the Central Committee (June 24-July22).

In reaction to the four-point deal reached between UCPN-M and UMDF human rights watchdogs appealed Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai not to withdraw the criminal cases filed during armed conflict and different movements and not to offer a general amnesty.

PM Baburam Bhattarai inducted 13 new ministers - six from UCPN-M and seven from main coalition partner UDMF - despite protest from within his party, the UCPN-M. The hardliner faction of the UCPN-M led by party senior vice chairman Mohan Baidya and party general secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa boycotted the ceremony.

NHRC chairman Kedar Nath Upadhyaya wrote a letter to PM Baburam Bhattarai and asked him not to withdraw cases filed against those allegedly involved in crime during various political movements.

The meeting of the sub-committee formed under constitutional committee failed to reach a concrete conclusion on creating a panel of experts to resolve disputed issues of state restructuring. In the meeting held at the Constituent Assembly secretariat, NC leaders are learnt to have stressed formation of a separate commission to iron out differences seen in State structuring instead of experts' panel.

NC President Sushil Koirala urged the UCPNM not to be enticed by the international movements - RIM and COMPOSA. Speaking at a program organised in the Capital Koirala urged the Maoists to break out of RIM and COMPOSA's grip and work to conclude peace and constitution.

A pressure cooker bomb went off at the main gate of C Max Food, a meat processing company with Chinese investment, located at Narsingh VDC in Sunsari District. While no human casualty was reported the blast damaged the front wall of the factory's compound. An armed outfit called Janatantrik Terai Madhesh Mukti Party (JTMMP) claimed responsibility for the blast, but it could not be verified.

Expressing commitment to make all efforts to ensure lasting peace and draft new constitution, ruling UCPN-M chairman Prachanda said successful conclusion of peace process and constitution drafting is possible within the extended three months deadline of the Constituent Assembly.

UCPN-M secretary C.P Gajurel said PM Baburam Bhattarai and party chairman Prachanda must apologise for their decision to hand over the keys of the PLA arms containers to the AISC. He said the dispute seen inside the party could also end if Bhattarai and Dahal offer an apology over the episode.

Bhattarai and Dahal called on NC President Sushil Koirala and assured him that the internal problems would not stall the peace process as they had "strong command" over the party and that they also prepared to use their authority whenever needed.

PM Baburam Bhattarai said that the Maoists have 'well and truly' rejuvenated the defunct peace process by handing over the keys of the weapons containers to the AISC. He reiterated that the current Government will guarantee constitution and take the ongoing peace process to a successful conclusion.

Earlier in the day Prachanda said the party won't split over the keys handover issue.

CPN-UML-affiliated Youth Association Nepal (YAN) central member Kamal Pathak sustained serious injuries when he was attacked by an unidentified group in the forest of Tikauli along the Ratnanagar-Bharatpur road section in Chitawan.

The NC unveiled the 14-point document on peace process. It demands the Maoists to come up with a clear, time bound action plan on completing the peace process within 45 days. It calls the Maoists to agree on number, modality, norms, role and rehabilitation package of combatants, handover all the weapons to the Government, bring all the combatants in the main cantonments, put them practically under control of Special Committee and regroup them based on their choices. "All these should be done by October 14," reads the document. The NC also proposes for integration of 4,000 combatants on individual basis and that each should meet the standards set out by the concerned Security Forces.

NC and CPN-UML formal agreed to extend a "constructive support" to the Government if the ruling UCPN-M agrees to resolve all issues related to peace process and constitution drafting in a package.

The UCPN-M postponed the party's September 18 CC meeting until September 30. The meeting had been called to resolve a dispute between the party establishment and the hardliner faction led by Vice Chairman Mohan Baidya over handover of keys of containers storing Maoist weapons to AISC.

Chairman of Tharuhat Terai Party Nepal, Laxman Tharu warned of launching a "decisive agitation" beginning from the third week of September if peace process and constitution writing are not completed within next three months.

Under the "immediate programmes", the Home Ministry gives priority to controlling illegal armed forces in Terai and hilly areas and other criminal activities such as kidnapping and rape.

PM Baburam Bhattarai claimed that there will be a breakthrough in constitution-drafting "in a day or two".

The relief package of the Government promises, among other things, implementation of the agreement to return the properties seized by the UCPN-M during the insurgency.

PM Baburam Bhattarai reiterated that the extended three-month time period was the last chance for the parties to ensure peace and statue to people.

UCPN-M chairman Prachanda said the peace process will conclude within a month. He said the Maoist party is flexible on resolving the issues related to the peace process and that the major tasks would conclude in a month as the NC and the CPN-UML are also positive about it.

During a meeting with EU Ambassadors PM Baburam Bhattarai told the EU envoys that the UCPN-M has handed over keys of arms containers to AISC in a major breakthrough in peace process and regrouping of the Maoist combatants would start soon on the basis of political consensus.

PM Baburam Bhattarai claimed that the ongoing peace process will gain momentum prior to his departure to New York for attending the 65th UN General Assembly on September 19. He, however, said that he is ready to step down if he is not able to achieve a major breakthrough in the task of constitution drafting and peace process during his tenure.

A meeting between UCPN-M and NC held to iron out the differences on Army integration ended inconclusively after both of the parties refused budge on their stance.

The hardliner faction of UCPN-M led by party vice chairman Mohan Baidya, which recently took to the streets against the party's decision to hand over keys to the Maoists arms containers, insisted that the public and private property seized by the party during the decade-long insurgency will not be returned even though Prime Minister (PM) and party vice chairman Baburam Bhattarai has ordered party's organisations to immediately start the process of returning the property.

The UDMF, an alliance of five Madheshi parties asked PM Baburam Bhattarai to take initiation to implement the four-point deal reached with UCPN-M during the prime ministerial election.

The central committee (CC) of the Party of CPN-UML descried the UCPN-M- UDMF Government as an "opportunist coalition", concluding that the present Government cannot be turned into a Government of national consensus.

Maoist vice chairman Mohan Baidya said he is not against the peace process but will not accept "disrespectful treatment" to the PLA and the Maoist party in the name of peace.

UCPN-M secretary C.P Gajurel, a leader close to the hardliner faction of the led by Mohan Baidya, warned to take to the streets again if the party leadership doesn't express regret over the decision to hand over the keys to the Maoist arms containers in PLA camps and satellite camps.

PM Baburam Bhattarai expanded his coalition cabinet for the third time, inducting four ministers from the UDMF and two from his party, UCPN-M.

In an address to the parliament, PM Baburam Bhattarai called on all to help the Government in the challenging task of preparing the draft of the constitution on time after taking the ongoing peace process to a successful conclusion.

Leaders of opposition parties NC and CPN-UML expressed serious reservation against PM's address to the parliament.

Police arrested seven cadres of ATMM-G, including Rameshwar Mandal alias Tufan Singh (27), on charge of extortion drive. Police recovered one home-made bomb, five rounds of bullets, seven pieces of leaflets, four mobile phone sets and four diaries.

PM Bhattarai presented a proposal on regrouping of the UCPN-M combatants in the meeting of AISC held. The meeting, however, failed to arrive at a concrete conclusion following differences among the members of the committee on the matter.

Police arrested Banke District in-charge of Samyukta Jantantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (SJTMM), identified as Jakir Hussein Jolaha alias Suraj Singh. Jolaha (42), of Udarapur VDC-7 was arrested with a home-made pistol from Jamunaha in Piprahawa VDC-1. According to Police, the group is involved in incidents of extortion in the District. Police had earlier arrested five cadres of the group from Nepalgunj on September 5. One revolver, 2 home-made pistols and seven round of bullets of 12 bore gun were seized from them.

A group of four assailants shot dead Rahesh Raut Kurmi, a Police head constable, at Sanphulawa in Badaki Phulbariya VDC-8 in Bara District. However, one of the assailants was also killed in Police action later. Another assailant was arrested. Police said cadres of the Janatantrik Terai Madhesh Mukti Party (JTMMP), an armed outfit, were involved in the attack.

NC leader Ram Chandra Poudel said the conclusion of the peace process and constitution-drafting is possible only when the parties are able to' sideline' the UCPN-M.

Om Jung Thapa (32), former Dailekh District chairperson of CPN-UML-affiliated YAN was injured when a group of locals led by YCL cadre Bam Bahadur KC attacked him at Chupra bazar of Belpata VDC-6.

Chandra Bahadur Lama, a local leader of Tarun Dal, the youth wing of the NC, was arrested from Nawalparasi on charges of the murder of CPN-UML cadre Sanjaya Lama on August 27. Earlier, Police had arrested four persons including Tarun Dal's district president Shiva Poudel in connection with the murder. According to Police, Chandra Bahadur had opened fire at Sanjaya in the middle of an argument over the money they were trying to extract from timber dealers at Kabilas area, Chitwan. The deceased was a member of the UML youth wing, YAN.

Energy Minister Post Bahadur Bogati warned of unilateral step to gear up peace process if opposition parties- NC and CPN-UML - do not support the UCPN-M-led Government.

The hardliner faction of the UCPN-M held a "secret meeting" in the capital to work out its strategy to counter the party establishment. Most of the central leaders supporting vice chairman Mohan Baidya, including Secretary C.P Gajurel, standing committee members Dev Gurung and Netra Bikram Chand were present in the meeting held at a party venue at Naya Baneshwor.

VDC secretaries have complained that the KJWP continues to extort money from them. According to the VDC secretaries, a group of KJWP led by Kiran Limbu was involved in the extortion drive.

The CPN-Maoist formed by Matrika Yadav after separation from the UCPN-M has now split into three factions. The three factions are led by Yadav, Dilip Sah and Bharat Dahal. Dahal defected from CPN-Maoist saying that Yadav did not work in line with the organisations' systems and policies. Shah claimed that the step was taken so as to pressure the establishment to form a single communist center.

UCPN-M vice chairman Mohan Baidya met party chairman Prachanda to 'assert' his faction's position. He informed Prachanda about the recent gathering of the central leaders and cadres loyal to him in the capital.

The YCL announced its different programmes to maintain law and order and assist the commoners during the upcoming festive season.

Nepal Army defused a socket bomb found at Ruiniwang of Majhing VDC-1 in Rolpa District. The socket bomb was found while landslide occurred in the incident site recently.

A bomb was detonated in the house of Ramesh Thapa, a businessman of Nepalgunj Municipality-1 in Banke District. However, the blast caused no damages, Police said. Later, Bhagat Singh, chairperson of one faction of JTMMP, claimed responsibility of the incident.

UCPN-M chairman Prachanda came down heavily on the Mohan Baidya faction of the party, indirectly terming the hardliners as 'opportunists' and 'rightists'.

Police disclosed the arrest of three cadres of the JTMMP-Bhagat from Chaulika in Banke for alleged involvement detonating a bomb in a businessman's house in Nepalgunj. The arrestees are identified as Banke District in-charge of the outfit Sajan Abdul Salam Mukeri alias Badal Khan, Nepalgunj municipality in-charge Harishankar Kahar and their aide Pappu Ansari. Police recovered two motorbikes, one pistol and 10 mobile phones from them.

PM Baburam Bhattarai and chairman of the CA Subash Chandra Nemwang agreed to speed up the twin task of peace and constitution drafting even during the Dashain and Tihar holidays.

PM Bhattarai held a meeting with UCPN-M chairperson Prachanda to discuss the steps their party ought to take to ensure peace.

Police issued an arrest warrant against Minister for Land Reforms and Management, Prabhu Sah, in connection of the murder of Hindu Yuba Sangh leader Kashi Tiwari. Prabhu Sah belongs to the UCPN-M.

An armed outfit detonated a socket bomb at the District Land Revenue Office in Gulariya Municipality-8 in Bardiya District.

An unidentified group detonated a bomb at the District Land Revenue Office in Bhojpur. No casualty was reported. Police reportedly found a bundle of leaflets of Khumbuwan Mukti Morcha-Samyukta [Khumbuwan Liberation Front-United (KLF-U)], an underground armed outfit.

An unidentified group detonated a bomb at the residence of a UCPN-M leader, Raj Kumar Gaim, in Bhardaha-1 of Saptari District.

Two pressure cooker bombs were recovered from two different locations in Chatakpur of Kailali District.

Police in Chandragadhi, the headquarters of Jhapa District, revealed the identities of the three arrested cadres of JTMMP.

Police arrested four cadres of JTMMP- Bhagat including its District secretary Ram Naresh Barma alias Nankau from Indrapur VDC in Banke District. The other arrestees are Mahesh Raidas, area in-charge, Aggi Ram Maurya of Indrapur VDC-6 and Radheshyam Maurya (28) of Nawabgunj in India.

JTMMP, an underground outfit unleashing violence in the Terai Districts, said it is ready to enter peaceful politics by renouncing "armed rebellion".

Leaders of the hardliner faction of the UCPN-M started a separate training programme for their cadres. General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa and Secretary C.P Gajurel reached Rajhar of Nawalparasi District to give training to the hardliner cadres.

Top leaders of the ruling UCPN-M and the main opposition, Nepali Congress (NC), are working behind the curtains on a package deal, which aims at settling all contentions in the peace process and power sharing issues.

UCPN-M chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda said the formation of the Government led by party vice chairman Baburam Bhattarai was a compulsion for him. Speaking at a programme oraganised by a pro-Maoist group of intellectuals in the capital, Prachanda revealed that he recommended Bhattarai unwillingly as he did not have other options before him.

Police arrested four cadres of the UCPN-M from Jhumka in Sunsari District alleging them of being involved in extortion from one Suman Thapa who was bringing four tractors loaded with timber and firewood to his Jhumka-based sawmill.

A boy, identified as Til Bahadur Pun of Kagate in Baluwatar VDC-8 in Dailekh District, got seriously injured when he struck an abandoned socket bomb with a stone causing an explosion.

Two socket bombs found abandoned at Jaitpur in Hanku VDC-2 in Jumla District were diffused by Nepal Army.

Raghuji Pant, a politburo member the CPN-UML accused the Madheshi political parties of pampering and promoting armed outfits operating in Terai.

The CPN-UML recommended party leader Bhim Rawal as a member of the AISC. Rawal is a politburo member of the UML and a former Home Minister.

The rival factions within the UCPN-M led by Chairman Prachanda and Vice Chairman Mohan Baidya are functioning parallelly creating "parties within a party", according to Maoist leaders close to both the camps.

As the frequency of interaction between the NC and the UCPN-M grows, CPN-UML, the third largest party in the Constituent Assembly, feels increasingly sidelined from key negotiations, several senior UML leaders said on condition of anonymity.

Minister for Land Reform Prabhu Sah, who is accused of plotting the murder of Hindu Youth Association president Kashiram Tiwari in Birgunj 15 months ago, has been cleared of all charges by the District Attorney's Office. The District Attorney didn't file a case against Minister Sah against whom an arrest warrant was issued for plotting the murder of Tiwari. The Parsa District Police Office had issued arrest warrant against Sah, but he has vehemently denied to have received the warrant and has dismissed the murder charge. The decision of ODA not to file any case against Sah comes a day after UCPN-M cadres continued the shutdown strike in Rautahat District to protest the arrest warrant against him. Sah, a Maoist politburo member, was elected to the Constituent Assembly from Rautahat-3.

UCPN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda told his deputy Mohan Baidya that there is no meaning in him remaining in the party if his hard-line faction continues to function in a parallel manner. During a meeting of the party's office bearers, Dahal said it would be better for Baidya to part ways if the party's decisions, norms, values and discipline are continuously violated.

A socket bomb planted near the District Forest Office in Dhanusha was diffused by Nepal Army. Though an unidentified person had informed about the bomb at around 10 am [local time], staffs of the forest office had searched the office premises with the help of Police but had not found the bomb. The location of the explosive device was confirmed after some part of the bomb went off at the eastern side of the office near a road at around 12 noon [local time]. Police said that JTMMP might have planted the bomb as a pamphlet with the name of the group's 'military commander' Bhagat Singh was found at the site. A watch and battery was also recovered at the site.

Police arrested two leaders of Mongol National Party, including its central chairperson in Rukum District. Central chairperson of the group Upendra Gharti Magar of Kharkhola in Jang VDC-2 and cadre Gam Bahadur Pun Magar of Siuri VDC-4, Rolpa were presented in a press meet by Police on October 13. Police said that Gharti was arrested from Dhaune in Rukum Kot VDC-2 while Pun was arrested from Salle in Khalanga VDC-2 following a tip off. Police also presented combat dress, documents, and clothes worth NPR 700,000 from the duo.

October 13

Abadesh Kumar Jha, Inaruwa correspondent of Kantipur Daily received death threat. The owner of the mobile phone, from which the threat call was made, said that one of his friends had used his phone to talk with journalist Jha, but he did not know why his friend issued the death threat to Jha.

October 14

A District level leader of the UCPN-M was arrested with an idol of archaeological importance. A police team of CIB arrested Gangaram Gole, a resident of Chapagaun Lalitpur, in possession of the idol.

October 15

VDC-3 Narayan Parajuli Local journalists said that Janatantrik Terai Mukti Tigers (JTMT) claimed responsibility of the incident.

October 16

Minister for Land Reforms Prabhu Sah tendered his resignation to Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai following the decision of Unified UCPN-M, his own party, to call him back from the Government. Sah has been accused of plotting the murder of Kashi Ram Tiwari, the then president of Hindu Yuwa Sangh in Birgunj, 15 months ago.

The opposition parties-NC and CPN-UML-who had agreed to harmonise their positions on the integration of Maoist combatants, went a step further by preparing a 'flexible' joint proposal that they say should be acceptable to the UCPN-M.

Leaders of major political parties said series of informal talks among the parties are producing positive results and they are preparing to hold a formal meeting to formalise it.

He main opposition parties- NC and CPN-UML - continued to obstruct the meeting of the parliament, demanding resignation of Defence Minister Sarat Singh Bhandari.

UCPN-M chairperson Prachanda said that the parties are close to reaching a 'ground breaking' deal on the disputed issues of army integration.

Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai sacked Defence Minister Sarad Singh Bhandari, a prominent Madhesi leader, for allegedly making secessionist remarks.

In a meeting, the AISC decided to assign the technical committee for recounting of the PLA combatants in all seven camps.

The three major parties reportedly struck consensus on integrating of former PLA combatants by forming a new directorate with a non-combat mandate as proposed by the Nepal Army. Leaders, who attended the talks said the parties have 'almost settled' their differences on numbers, modality and rehabilitation package, but are yet to find a meeting point on rank determination and norms of integration.

CPN-UML senior leader KP Sharma Oli accused the UCPN-M of misusing the caliber of its combatants by keeping them at bay in the various cantonments.

UCPN-M General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa said there should be a serious review of the Government's performance as it is not working in satisfactorily.

UCPN-M Secretary C P Gajurel claimed that the purported agreement between the major three parties regarding the integration of Maoist combatants was wrong.

NC President Sushil Koirala accused Maoists of posing hindrance in the peace process through the issues of integration of the combatants, returning the seized property and the paramilitary structure of the YCL.

NC President Sushil Koirala said UCPN-M was responsible for hindering the peace process due to its reluctance in implementing the past agreements.

The UCPN-M chairman Prachanda urged his deputy, vice chairman Mohan Baidya to come up with a clear position about the ongoing peace and constitution-writing processes.

UCPN-M chairman Prachanda expressed serious reservation on his party general secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa's allegation that he is following the directive of Indian intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).

The Samyukta Jatiya Mukti Morcha Nepal (SJMMN), a cluster of several underground armed groups operating in Terai, gave a call for 10-day bandh from October 29. The underground organisation said it had called the strikes after the Government failed to implement the agreement it had signed with it and refused to free its arrested leaders. The strikes, according to the statement, would be clamped regionwise, culminating in a Nepal bandh on November 11.

Police arrested the four Maoists in connection with an attack on the UCPN-M lawmaker and trade union leader Salikram Jamarkattel on August 27. Police said the reason behind the attack was internal party dispute.

Speaking at a programme organised on the occasion of Nepal Sambat 1132 in Bhaktapur, Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai said talks between the parties have been positive and that a breakthrough is expected from a meeting of the major parties on October 30.

Two YCL cadres were injured in a clash between Prachanda faction and Mohan Baidya faction at Prithvi Chowk-based YCL camp in Pokhara, the Headquarters of Kaski District.

Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai assured that the preliminary draft of new constitution would be prepared by November 30, the deadline for promulgation of the constitution.

Four persons were injured after UCPN-M and RJM cadres clashed at Hile in Argha VDC-8. While three of the injured belonged to RJM, one belonged to UCPN-M.

UCPN-M combatants of Lokas Memorial Brigade in Gorage of Baliya VDC-9 of Kailali District assaulted four civilians of Pathariya VDC-2.

Top leaders of three major parties -UCPN-M, NC and CPN-UML - held 'decisive meeting' at a resort in Budhanilkantha, Kathmandu to find a common ground on the controversial issues seen in the constitution drafting and peace processes. The meeting remained inconclusive but leaders decided to meet again the next day.

The 'decisive meeting' between top leaders of three major parties - UCPN-M, NC and CPN-UML - held at a resort in Budhanilkantha, Kathmandu, to find a common ground on the controversial issues seen in constitution drafting and peace processes has ended inconclusively. However, the three parties decided to meet again on November 1.

In a much awaited breakthrough in the peace process, the political parties arrived at a consensus following hectic talks held in Baluwatar in the evening. UCPN-M chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, NC president Sushil Koirala, CPN-UML chairman Jhala Nath Khanal, and Bijay Gachchhadar, as representative of the Madheshi Front, signed the agreement.

As per the agreement, 6500 Maoist combatants will be integrated into the Nepal Army while those opting for rehabilitation will be entitled to NPR 500,000 to 900,000 depending on their ranks and the type of package they choose.

The combatants will be inducted into a separate Directorate of the Nepal Army, which will look after development projects, industrial and forest security and rescue works during disasters. 65 percent of the workforce in the new Directorate will come from different security agencies while the integrated combatants will make up for 35 percent of the force.

Likewise, the combatants will be integrated after completing a bridge course. While the integration will be done as per the recruiting standards of the Nepal Army the candidates will get some concession in terms of academic qualification and age limit (up to one level of academic degree and maximum of three years of age threshold).

Likewise, regrouping of combatants will start within seven days and the process will complete by November 23.

Similarly, the properties seized by the Maoists will be returned by November 23. Those not getting their properties back will be compensated by the State.

The Mohan Baidya faction of UCPN-M opposed the agreement.

A cadre of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), Pemba Lama of Bhotang VDC-1, was injured when two local UCPN-M cadres - Raju Tamang and Mangale Tamang - attacked Lama with Khukuris on the charge of having different political belief.

A time bomb planted in front of the door of the office chief of the Land Revenue Office in Nepalgunj Municipality-13 in Banke District went off. However, the bomb blast caused minor damage to door of the chief's room. JTMMP-Bhagat, an underground armed Terai outfit, claimed responsibility of the incident over phone to local journalists.

Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai said that a mechanism comprising top leaders of major political parties would be formed soon to transform the current Government into a national consensus Government.

Police arrested a Pakistani citizen with some four million fake Indian currency notes (FICNs) from Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), Kathmandu. The Police apprehended the person who introduced himself only as Mohammad after he landed at TIA from Oman. His complete identity has not been disclosed.

Nanda Kishor Pun, the Chief of the PLA said that the two-day meeting of the General Staff of PLA held at party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal's residence in Naya Bazaar decided to focus all attention towards ensuring proper implementation of the deal. He said the PLA fighters were fully committed to the 'historic' deal and will support the Government for its prompt implementation. The meeting directed all the commanders of the seven divisions of the PLA to help implement the agreement, he said.

The UCPN-M Central Committee meeting was put off till November 13 after VIce Chairman Mohan Baidya tabled a 10-point note of dissent.

The UCPN-M cadres captured paddy harvested in 13 bighas (8.804419 hectare aprox.) of land in Gopka village of Chuha VDC-3 in Kailali District.

The AISC directed its secretariat to start the regrouping of PLA combatants opting for integration or rehabilitation by November 16. A meeting of the AISC approved the regrouping schedule prepared by the secretariat. As per the 7-point agreement reached between the major parties on November 1, the regrouping of the combatants was to start by November 11, but the secretariat sought five more days to arrange the required logistics. As per the schedule, the regrouping will complete by 23 November.

The Special Committee also directed the secretariat to prepare detailed work plan on implementing the rehabilitation package for combatants, who would not join the Directorate to be established under the Nepal Army. A maximum of 6500 members of the PLA will be integrated into the Army.

The Government registered the 11th constitution amendment bill to incorporate the provision to form an expert committee, replacing the existing provision of State Restructuring Commission to decide on the restructuring of the State.

The dispute resolution sub-committee under the Constitutional Committee decided to form taskforce and committees to settle the debated and controversial issues with Constitutional Assembly, forms of Government, electoral system and state restructuring.

A job seeker, Bir Bahadur Majhi (30), of Rakam Karnali VDC-5 in Dailekh District, issued a statement asking for security claiming he received death threats from UCPN-M leader and Bheri Karnali State Committee member Yogendra Raj Bikram Thapa alias Anam.

A Police post of Dhankuta Chhintang-6, which was shifted to another place after the Kirant Janawadi Workers Khotang launched attack and looted weapons during the period of armed conflict, was reinstated in Chhintang VDC-8, Triveni.

Central Working Committee member of NC Shashank Koirala revealed that the UCPN-M chairman Prachanda assured to hand over the leadership of "national consensus government" to the NC after November 30. Speaking at a press meet Koirala disclosed the assurance was given during various discussions prior to the signing of the 7-point agreement.

Former Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal remarked that the current Government led by Baburam Bhattarai cannot be turned into a national Government. He remarked that it would be a serious mistake if the current Government is given continuity.

The Maoist hardliner faction led by Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya said it would resist every effort that is made to take away the land from the poor farmers and the landless.

MJF Chairman Upendra Yadav said the seven-point deal signed on November 1 undermined the necessity of Security Sector Reform (SSR). "This agreement cannot ensure sustainable peace in the country," Yadav added.

UNDP Resident Coordinator Robet Piper said the UN was willing to extend all possible assistance for the rehabilitation of the Maoist combatants as per the recent political agreement.

Jit Bahadur Thapa, a local leader of the CPN-UML in Limba VDC-1 of Panchthar District was threatened of dire consequence by Gyanendra Thapa, a local leader of the UCPN-M of the same area. Gyanendra accused Jit Bahadur of playing a role in convicting his son in a rape case.

NC Parliamentary Party leader Ram Chandra Poudel said that national consensus government should be formed under his leadership.

PM Bhattarai expanded his cabinet for the sixth time by inducting seven new ministers including six from his party and 19 state ministers.

PM Baburam Bhattarai and UCPN-M Prachanda decided to visit cantonment sites to encourage combatants to participate in the regrouping process.

NC President Sushil Koirala accused the prime minister of breaching seven-point deal by expanding the Cabinet.

The cabinet decided to recommend to President Ram Baran Yadav to grant amnesty to Maoist lawmaker Bal Krishna Dhungel, who was convicted of murder and sentenced to life by the Supreme Court. Maoist lawmaker Dhungel was given life sentence by the Supreme Court in 2010 for his involvement in the murder of Ujjan Shrestha of Okhaldhunga, but has so far avoided arrest. Shrestha was shot dead by the Maoists at Tarkerabari-7, Okhaldhunga on June 24, 1998, allegedly for spying on the Maoists.

Major opposition parties- NC and CPN-UML - raised strong objection to the expansion of the cabinet.

The hardliners in the UCPN-M said they would not obstruct the regrouping process of ex-Maoist combatants.

Minister for Finance Barshaman Pun said that the internal dispute in his party, UCPN-M, would not affect the 7-point agreement signed between the major political parties on peace process.

UCPN-M affiliated All Nepal Peasants' Association (ANPA) declared that it would not be returning the properties captured during the conflict.

The OHCHR-Nepal expressed concern over a series of recent decisions by the government of Nepal to appoint, promote or pardon public officials implicated in serious crimes and human rights abuses in the country.

Cadres of SJMM set ablaze two vehicles near Damechaur of Tasarpu VDC in Dhading District for defying the bandh called by them demanding peace and constitution.

The UCPN-M-affiliated employees of Shree Gas Industry in Satkilo, Thakre VDC-4 padlocked the industry after a staff, Bidur Paudel of Thakre VDC-5, was dismissed by the industry administration on corruption charges.

The NC warned of stir if the Government refuses to withdraw the decision of granting amnesty to the murder convict lawmaker Bal Krishna Dhungel.

KJWP urged the Nepal Government to make whereabouts of its former central chairperson Bibas Bidrohi Kiranti public. Issuing a press statement, the group also expressed readiness to hold talks with the Government as per their previous four-point agreement of July 1. Though the KJWP claims that Bidrohi was made to disappear on April 9, Police say that he died at Pangcha VDC on April 9.

Nepal Army defused a bomb found nearby a bus park in Khalanga VDC-2. Kumar Ghaite Thapa, claiming himself to the 'chairperson' of Janamukti Morcha Nepal, an underground outfit, claimed responsibility for planting the bomb.

The SC issued an interim order to the Government not to implement its decision to recommend murder convict UCPN-M lawmaker Bal Krishna Dhungel for presidential pardon.

Speaking at a press conference at the Tribhuvan International Airport on his return from the Maldives PM Baburam Bhattarai said the cabinet's decision was "well thought out" and that he did not consider the opposition parties' objection to the decision as something unusual.

Different organizations close to the UCPN-M said that the property seized by the party in Chitwan District during the conflict period will not be returned.

Nepal Army diffused a pressure cooker bomb planted at the house of Padam Yogi of Uchanibu of Satbariya VDC-3. A pamphlet with the signature of Bhagat Singh, military 'commander' of the JTMMP-Bhagat, was found near the site.

The AISC passed the action plan for integration, rehabilitation and voluntary retirement of the cantoned members of the Maoist PLA. A meeting of the AISC held under the chairmanship of PM Baburam Bhattarai passed the action plan prepared by its secretariat. The AISC made a few changes in the draft prepared by the secretariat.

During a meeting held at Shital Niwas, the President's office, President Ram Baran Yadav asked PM Bhattarai to reconsider the controversial cabinet decision to recommend murder convict UCPN-M lawmaker Bal Krishna Dhungel Dhungel for presidential pardon.

The hardliner faction of the UCPN-M-led by Vice Chairman urged the party combatants, cantoned in various cantonments across the country, to stay away from the army integration process.

The Maoist leaders and activists close to the Baidya faction were found issuing threats to landowners for selling the captured land cheaply.

PM Bhattarai said that a national unity Government would be formed under his leadership after November 30. The current term of the Constituent Assembly (CA) expires on November 30, and it will require a cross-party support to muster a two-third vote for extending the CA's term.

CPN-UML chairman Jhala Nath Khanal claimed that the collation Government led by Baburam Bhattarai will fall soon. Khanal added that internal dispute of the UCPN-M will create hurdle in the implementation of the 7-point deal signed among the major political parties.

Senior NC leader Arjun Narsingh KC said that though the implementation of seven-point agreement is a prerequisite to take the ongoing peace process to a successful conclusion, the recent stance and activities of the coalition Government and the party that heads it - UCPN-M - has raised doubts over whether the deal will actually be implemented.

UCPN-M leaders close to the hardliner faction led by party Vice-chairman warned that they will retaliate against the party leadership and the government over the issue of returning of the seized property.

The regrouping of the members of the PLA started in three of the seven main cantonment sites (MCS), located in Nawalparasi, Chitwan and Kailali Districts. The process will start in the four other cantonments from November 19. During the regrouping the combatants will be asked to voluntarily choose one of the three options - integration, rehabilitation and voluntary retirement. Before the combatants are asked to choose the options they will get counselling on the packages available. As per the action plan passed by the Army Integration Special Committee, the regrouping process will conclude on November 28.

Making a u-turn, the three major parties -UCPN-M, NC and CPN-UML - and the Madheshi Front decided to go for the State Restructuring Commission (SRC) instead of the expert committee to determine state restructuring. The three parties and the Madheshi Front signed a two-point agreement following hectic talks, according to which the SRC would be formed within three days.

The SRC will present its report on restructuring of the state on the basis of "capacity and identity" while also taking into consideration the reports of concerned committees of the Constituent Assembly and the issues raised by the CA members.

Secretary of the CPN-UML Shankar Pokharel ruled out the possibility of the Moist-led Government taking the shape of the national consensus Government.

The constituents of the UDMF decided to go with the previous agreement to form the State Restructuring Commission (SRC) to work out the country's federal model.

Regrouping of 5,217 former PLA combatants among the 19,503 of them cantoned in 7 main cantonment sites (MSC) and 21 satellite camps was finished. As per the action plan passed by the Army Integration Special Committee, the regrouping process will conclude on November 28.

According to AISC coordinator Balananda Sharma, the number of former PLA combatants opting for the rehabilitation package is still negligible while the number of those opting for either integration in the armed forces or voluntary retirement is almost the same.

Among commanders supporting the hardliner faction, Division Vice-commander of the Fourth Division Bashu Dev Ghimire 'Pawel' and Brigade Commander Om Prasad Poudel have shown interest in integration.

Life in western Terai Districts was disrupted due to a strike called by various organisations including Tharuhat Terai Party protesting moves by ruling UCPN-M and other parties to extend the term of the CA by six months after November 30.

The CPN-UML is all set to set up pressure on PM Baburam Bhattarai to step down so as to pave the way for the national consensus Government.

The Government formed an eight-member SRC, which will work out the federal model of the country.

General Secretary of ruling UCPN-M Ram Bahadur Thapa warned that the party may suffer a split if its leadership doesn't try to resolve the increasing ideological contention inside the party.

The Supreme Court issued an interim order in the Bal Krishna Dhungel case, asking the Government not to go ahead with the recommendation to pardon the murder-convicted Maoist lawmaker.

SJTMM, an armed outfit active in Terai, agreed to hand over its weapons to the Government.

The Government tabled a bill in the parliament seeking an amendment in the Article 138 (2) of the Interim Constitution for six-month extension of the Constituent Assembly (CA).

Giving its final verdict on a writ petition challenging repeated extension of the CA's term, the Supreme Court said the CA's term can be extended only one more time and that the Assembly will be defunct if the constitution is not promulgated within the extended term. The court also asked the defendants to decide the duration of the extension after determining whether the constitution would be promulgated through referendum, or to elect new CA, if the current CA fails to do so.

Concluding that UCPN-M and the Government have not been sincere in keeping their commitments, the NC called for immediate implementation of the seven-point deal.

At a time when the NC is demanding the leadership of the Government after November 30, Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai said that the present Government will remain until the completion of the peace and constitution writing processes.

The process of returning property seized by the Maoists officially started with the handover of around 30 hectares of land owned by Binod Dhwoj Chand and his family members at Rajapur VDC-7 in Bardiya.

Normal life in many far-western and western Terai Districts remained affected for the third consecutive day due to strikes imposed by seven organisations opposing a Government proposed six-month extension of the CA.

Just a day after the UCPN-M returned land seized during the insurgency to its owner Binod Dhwoj Chand in Bardiya, activists from the hardliner faction led by Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya put up party flag on the land declaring its recapture. However, Police removed the Maoist flag from Chand's property.

UCPN-M Secretary C.P Gajurel said his party will not return seized land as the decision towards that end was not an official party decision.

An unidentified group detonated a socket bomb at the house of Chabbilal Pathak, a bank employee, of Khairi in Gulariya Municipality-4 in Bardiya District. Meanwhile, claiming himself as the Bardiya in-charge of the Free Terai Madhesh Mukti Tiger, Ranbir Singh owned up the explosion. Talking to media persons, he said that the explosion was a warning as Pathak had gone against the party by not supporting the group.

An explosive device was found at the premises of the CPN-UML party office in Nepalgunj. A bomb-disposal team safely nuetralised the explosive-material wrapped in a plastic-bag that was kept in the corner of the office- building. A man identifying himself as a cadre of the Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM) called local journalists and claimed responsibility for planting the bomb.

With the UCPN-M failing to issue a clear directive, all the senior-ranking commanders of the PLA decided to opt for integration during the ongoing regrouping process.

A cabinet meeting in Kathmandu formed a three-member team to hold talks with different armed outfits operating in the Terai Districts. Around 100 armed groups in the Terai region have been engaged in violent activities to press the Government to fulfil their several demands. The talks team comprises Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Satya Pahadi, State Minister for Home Affairs Bhim Raj Chaudhari Rajbamsi and Minister without Portfolio, Rajlal Yadav. The Cabinet meeting has mandated the team to assess the demands raised by the outfits and make efforts to settle the problems, said Cabinet sources.

A day before the expiry of its term, the CA got extension of its tenure by six more months. The parliamentary session endorsed the 11th constitution amendment bill proposed by the Government seeking a six-month extension of the CA term with a majority vote. This is the fourth time that the CA's term has been extended.

Meanwhile, the three major parties -UCPN-M, NC and CPN-UML - and United UDMF struck a six-point deal after they failed to implement the seven-point agreement signed on November 1, in which they had vowed to complete all the remaining tasks related to peace process by November 23. The parties have promised to complete the remaining tasks by December 15 and form a unity Government 'very soon' but have failed to mention the date.

Regrouping process of Maoists combatants was completed in six of seven PLA Divisions in the evening of November 28. The process of regrouping former Maoist PLA combatants that started since last week ended in the First Division cantonment at Chulachuli of Ilam, Second Division at Dudhauli of Sindhuli, Third Division at Shaktikhor of Chitwan, Fourth Division in Nawalparasi, Fifth Division at Dahaban of Rolpa and Sixth Division at Dashrathpur of Surkhet on Monday [November 28] evening while some work remained to be done in the Seventh Division at Talaband of Kailali. Altogether 15,774 combatants among the 19,503 cantoned in seven main cantonment sites (MCS) and 21 satellite camps were regrouped as of November 28. Of the total combatants, 8,738 have opted for integration, 7,031 have opted for voluntary retirement and 5 have opted for rehabilitation package. The final reports, however are yet to come. According to reports, more than 2,500 former Maoist combatants were absent in the regrouping process that came to an end in six main cantonments sites.

Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, along with UCPN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, is scheduled to visit PLA Seventh Division Kailali on November 30 to observe the regrouping process and monitor the work being carried out by the Special Committee.

The regrouping of the members of the PLA concluded in all the seven main cantonment sites located in different parts of the country. According to the secretariat of the AISC, a total of 16,508 combatants have been categorised as per their choices for three options - integration, voluntary retirement and rehabilitation package. Earlier, 19600 combatants were registered in the second verification conducted by the then UNMIN. More than 40 percent of the combatants have chosen integration, which exceeds the agreed integration quota of 6500, while the remaining have gone for voluntary retirement except for around a dozen combatants.

The NC office-bearers meeting decided that it cannot agree to the UCPN-M proposal to increase the number of the Maoist combatants for integration. NC leader Arjun Nar Singh said that the party took the decision not to review on the numbers of the combatants for their integration. The major parties have agreed to integrate up to 6,500 combatants but the Maoist party has come up with a new proposal to increase the number as the combatants more than the double of the agreed numbers have chosen an integration option during the regrouping process.

The Mohan Baidya faction of the UCPN-M condemned the killing of senior CPI-Maoist leader, Mallojula Koteswara Rao alias Kishanji by SFs in West Bengal (India).

Two days after its tenure was extended for the final time, the Constituent Assembly (CA) stepped up preparations to finalise a time-bound calendar to complete the first draft of the new constitution.

The dispute resolution sub-committee of the Constitutional Committee (CC) passed a six-month action plan for drafting the new constitution. The action plan aims to resolve the contentious issues within December 30 and issue the first draft of the constitution in between February 13 to February 26.The action plan will be forwarded to the parliament after the CC meeting scheduled for December 4 passes it.

The Parliamentary party leader of the NC, Ram Chandra Paudel, alleged the UCPN-M of bagging NPR 2 billion from the State coffers by producing figures exceeding the actual number of PLA combatants residing in the cantonments.

Five persons, including the Sunsari District Superintendent of Police (SP), Raju Manandhar, were injured when a bomb went off in Itahari. The pressure cooker bomb, planted by Khumbuwan Mukti Morcha (Samyukta) on the road at Itahari Chowk, suddenly went off when the Police were trying to evacuate the area before defusing it.

UCPN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda said that his party has not given up the strategy of 'people's revolt' and that the party was prepared to capture power either through election or through a revolt.

The PLA Spokesperson, Chandra Prakash Khanal aka Baldev remarked that the cantonments would be vacated only after the completion of rank harmonization of combatants.

The major parties -UCPN-M, CPN-UML, NC - and UDMF agreed to hand over the responsibility of forming a new "national consensus government" to the chiefs of their respective parties.

Senior NC leader Sher Bahadur Deuba said that the constitution will be promulgated only after the conclusion of the peace process.

A meeting of the Constitutional Committee (CC) held at Singha Durbar endorsed the six-month action plan for drafting of the new constitution with minor amendments. The action plan seeks to forge consensus on disputed issues surfaced in constitution drafting except state restructuring issues within Dec 30, promulgate first integrated draft of the constitution within Feb 13 to 27, and complete statute within May 21 to 27, among others. However, the political parties are yet to forge consensus on state restructuring, form of governance, election procedure, among other important issues. The next meeting of the CC will convene on Dec 11.

The members of the PAC of Parliament asked Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai to return the allowance issued in the name of proxy People's Liberation Army (PLA) combatants. The lawmakers expressed their serious concern over an estimated NPR 1 billion that was released from the state coffers in salaries and rations for proxy combatants who are believed to have deserted the cantonments and did not show up for the regrouping process.

The hardliner faction of the UCPN-M asked the Dang local administration to suspend the process of returning seized property in the District. The hardliner faction led by Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya suggested that the property seized by the party during the insurgency should not be returned to their rightful owners unless the Government introduces a new system of land- reforms in favour of poor-farmers.

In the presence of some UCPN-M leaders close to the hardliner faction, disqualified PLA combatants have formed an organisation-Discharged People's Liberation Army (DPLA) to fight for their rights and dignity.

NC senior leader, Sher Bahadur Deuba said he will lead the next Government of national consensus if his party gets the opportunity of leadership. However, NC vice president, Ram Chandra Poudel has also been publicly claiming the Government leadership if Nepali Congress gets the opportunity to lead the next Government.

A clash occurred between the UCPN-M and CPN-UML cadres at Ghatbazar in Khalanga. The clash ensued when both groups were campaigning for the general assembly of Darchula chapter of Federation of Nepali Chambers and Commerce Industries (FNCCI) which would elect its new leadership.

Leaders of opposition parties in the Parliament accused Baburam Bhattarai-led Government and the UCPN-M of indulging in corruption and promoting irregularities in an organised manner.

The bomb disposal unit of Nepal Army (NA) defused two pressure-cooker bombs near the East-West Highway in Kanchanpur.

A time bomb went off at the DDC in Rautahat. No one was injured in the blast though it damaged window glasses of the training hall. Rautahat in-charge of JTMMM, Abhay Singh, owned up planting the bomb.

Nearly two dozen former UCPN-M combatants who were transferred to the YCL at the outset of the peace process have said they have been discriminated against by the party leadership. They demanded equal perks and treatment as enjoyed by the Maoist combatants in the ongoing integration and rehabilitation process.

Six locals got injured when cadres of the UCPN-M attacked members of a Road Consumers' Committee over a dispute at Khanayokharka of Thakre VDC-4 in Dhading District.

A pipe bomb found at a District Court in Gaur on December 9 was defused.

In its first meeting after the regrouping process, the prime minister-led AISC directed its Secretariat to table an operational plan with a timeline to be enforced on the combatants opting for integration and voluntary retirement. The secretariat has been asked to table the plan on December 16.

The NC and the CPN-UML said that peace process and constitution-drafting need to be expedited to create ground for unity Government. The NC president, Sushil Koirala hinted that his party would not stand against Baburam Bhattarai-led Government until the peace process is brought to a conclusion.

Over two weeks after the AISC completed the regrouping process, the Nepal Army (NA) and the former Maoist combatants continue to remain at odds over the very basics of army integration. NA spokesperson Ramindra Chhetri went on record saying that the combatants should meet the physical criteria, pass the selection process and attend trainings specified for each rank before serving in the new directorate.

UCPN-M general secretary C. P. Gajurel said that the party has already split internally and that only the formal announcement is yet to be made. He also said Baidya will head the 'new party'. Political parties agreed to adopt mixed electoral system in the new constitution.

Minister for Physical Planning and Construction Hridayash Tripathi said that the Government will start bulk recruitment of the Madhesi youths in NA within a month.

The ICG in its latest briefing has said that with the future of the Maoist combatants finally settled, Nepal's peace process has gained momentum after a long stalemate, but challenges remain, particularly the design of a new federal state and evolving coalition and factional dynamics of the parties.

UCPN-M vice chairman Mohan Baidya dismissed the remark made by party secretary and his confidante C.P Gajurel that the party is on the verge of split, saying that the disputes seen inside the party is in fact getting resolved.

The ruling partner UDMF decided to sit for "decisive talks" with the Maoist leadership on whether to continue the coalition.

Bed Man Tamang (25), central member of SJMM, was arrested from Gaighat bazaar in Udaypur District. Police said Tamang admitted his involvement in various bomb blasts that took place in the district in the last two years.

The CA prepares itself to request the Supreme Court to review its recent order that has barred the CA from extending its tenure beyond May 28, 2012.

Reports claimed that just before the regrouping process began, the UCPN-M had decided to send at least 50 percent of the fighters cantoned in the seven cantonments and 21satellite camps for integration. Politburo member Hari Bhakta Kandel, who is loyal to Baidya faction, said the Dahal camp had issued the circular as the number became a "prestige issue" for Dahal due to the party's internal rift.

The Prime Minister-led AISC failed to endorse a time-bound calendar for vacating cantonment sites after major parties remained sharply divided on implementing the army integration and voluntary retirement programmes together.

The disqualified combatants of the UCPN-M announced nationwide protest programmes putting forth four-point demands including the cancellation of their disqualified recognition.

The UCPN-M and the ruling partner UDMF agreed to recruit 3000 Madheshi youths to start induction of Madheshi into the Nepal Army. They also agreed to endorse a policy paper on the induction of the Madheshi into the Army.

Maoist leaders said some senior commanders will go for voluntary retirement once the senior-most rank to be offered to the combatants is decided at the political level.

Cadres of JTMP abducted a farmer, identified as Ramnandan Yadab (35), of Balawa VDC-6 in Mahottari District was abducted from his home.

In a fresh drive of property seizures, UCPN-M cadres close to the hard-line faction led by party Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya captured two houses and around 22 hectares of land in Kapilvastu District.

The UCPN-M bid to incorporate "People's War" phrase into the preamble of new constitution that is being drafted has failed as political parties instead agreed to replace it with "Armed Struggle" phrase. A meeting of the Dispute Resolution Sub Committee formed to settle contentious issues seen in constitution drafting and peace process ended the disagreement among the parties over the issue of whether to incorporate "People's War" or "Armed Struggle" into the preamble.

A Cabinet meeting ordered NA to start the process to recruit 3000 personnel from the Janjati, Dalit and Madheshi communities after passing the policy paper for the new recruitment to turn NA "inclusive".

The opposition parties - NC and CPN-UML - have taken strong exception to the Government decision to establish a separate battalion of the NA by recruiting Madheshi youths to ensure inclusiveness in the Army. Meanwhile, ex Lt General Kul Bahadur Khadka said the Government decision goes against the NA's principle.

A bomb disposal team of the Nepal Army (NA) defused a socket bomb found at Mukti chowk of Birtamod in Jhapa District.

It has been revealed that half-a-dozen Indian nationals are among the 19,602 PLA combatants verified by the UNMIN in 2007, according to UNMIN's database provided to the Government. The issue came to light during the regrouping process carried out at the seven main cantonment sites last month. A PLA commander acknowledged that six Indian nationals were among those in the PLA ranks and four of them visited the Third Division Cantonment in Shaktikhor, Chitwan. Three of them are said to have opted for voluntary retirement and one for integration.

Separately, CoAS Chhatra Man Singh Gurung called on President Dr Ram Baran Yadav and expressed dissatisfaction at Government's decision to recruit Madheshi youths in a separate battalion of the NA as part of its motive to make the national Army an inclusive institution.

CPN-UML Chief Whip Bhim Acharya said that the party would protest from street and parliament if the decision regarding the bulk integration of Madheshi youths in NA was not revoked at the earliest.

NC leader Ram Sharan Mahat accused the Government of staging a publicity stunt in the name of recruiting Madheshi youths in the NA.

The Defence Ministry clarified that the new recruitment in the NA will be done on competition, denying that there will be "group entry" of Madheshis. Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar, who also oversees the Defence Ministry, unveiled the policy paper on making the NA inclusive. He said that 2000 youths from different communities in Madhesh will be recruited in the NA through reservation out of total 3000 posts to be filled.

The Government is all set to withdraw over a dozen cases involving more than 130 individuals accused of being part of serious crimes including murder, arson and robbery. The withdrawal process initiated in line with the four-point deal signed between the ruling UCPN-M and the UDMF could come into effect at an "appropriate time", a highly-placed Government source said.

Hundreds of disqualified former PLA combatants, who were discharged last year from the cantonments after being disqualified in the verification conducted by the then UNMIN, staged demonstration against the UCPN-M leadership in Nepalgunj. Local leaders of the Mohan Baidya faction of the UCPN-M were also present during the protest. 4008 disqualified combatants were discharged from the cantonment sites without being provided any benefit.

The intra-party rift within the UCPN-M seemed to have reached a critical stage with the hard-line faction led by Mohan Baidya flatly rejecting party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal's formula proposed to patch up the internal differences.

Integration of former Maoist combatants in the NA is likely to be further delayed with the major parties failing to sort out differences over a mechanism to monitor the process. The ruling Maoist party has demanded formation of a monitoring mechanism comprising representatives of the NA, the PLA and the 'neutral experts'. Such a mechanism, the Maoists say, would be required to resolve disputes that could arise during the army integration process. The NC, however, sees the proposal as a 'ploy' to delay the process and insist that the Maoist party should prepare itself to hand over the combatants opting for integration to the NA.

According to UCPN-M leaders, party Chairman Prachanda will urge the NC and UML top leaders to be flexible on the adjustment of 3,000 additional combatants though the seven-point understanding signed on November 1 has set the limit of only 6,500 for integration.

Addressing a program organised to mark Mao Zedong's 119th birth anniversary in Butwal, UCPN-M Secretary CP Gajurel said Chairman Prachanda is no longer the chairman of the cadres as he agreed to sideline the combatants against the party decision and the sentiments of the People's Revolution.

NC demanded that the newly formed Akhil Force, a youth organisation of the CPN-UML aligned All Nepal National Free Student Union (ANNFSU) should be dissolved at the earliest.

A day after the chief justice of the SC ruled out possibility of the review on the SC ruling regarding the extension of the term of the CA, the parliament has officially requested the office of the Attorney General for a review of the SC's verdict.

The SC issued an interim order to the Government not to implement its decision to start group entry of Madheshi communities in the Nepal Army.

SC refused to register a petition of the Government that sought a review on its ruling regarding the extension of the term of the CA.

Vice chairman of the UCPN-M Mohan Baidya presented separate political paper in the CC meeting stressing that the party should adopt the strategy of immediate revolt.

Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai claimed that the peace process will be taken to its logical conclusion and constitution will be promulgated within May 27, 2012.

Leaders of the major political parties accused the SC of going beyond its authority by refusing to register the petition seeking a review on the SC's ruling regarding the extension of the CA term.

CC members of the UCPN-M started discussions on the two separate political proposals presented by party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda and vice president Mohan Baidya in the ongoing CC meeting at the party headquarters in perisdanda, Koteshwor.

Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the parliament summoned secretariat of the AISC to clarify about the fund released by the Government for the 2,449 UCPN-M combatants who were not found in the cantonments during the regrouping process.

The disqualified PLA combatants of the UCPN-M enforced far-western region bandh putting forward several demands. The Maoist ex-fighters have been agitating from the past couples of weeks expressing dissatisfaction that the State has kept them out from the cantonments labelling 'disqualified' in an indecent and discriminatory manner.

Emerging from a meeting of the dispute resolution Sub-Committee under the CC, Sub-Committee coordinator and UCPN-M chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda said that all the disputed issues except the state structuring have been resolved in principle. In the meeting, the Sub-Committee approved the report prepared by its task force on the disputed issues seen in the constitution drafting. On December 28, the Sub-Committee had given responsibility to the task force to recommend on 14 disputed issues except state restructuring.

Timelines Year Wise