He bagged 1215 to Narahari Acharya's 165 votes. Koirala is a brand name. He gets to cash into BP Koirala's lifetime of work as well as his own. And I never doubted his organizational acumen. He can be relentless. The strong setiments he arouses outside the Congress camp might be indicative of his hold inside the party.
Not only that, his entire fleet came along it seems. For all talk of nepotism, Sushil Koirala bagged 939 votes, Dr. Shashank Koirala 880. Shailaja Koirala is in, 617 votes. Sujata Koirala got herself elected, 744 votes. Now she can no longer be dismissed as just Girija Koirala's daughter, if she ever was. That's five close members from one family, but at least they are all elected. The voters decided.
As long as they are democratic, a party's elections are its internal matter. And so I respect the outcome as the Congress' prerogative.
They made a major ideological move though. They as a party are no longer attached to the monarchy. That does not make them republican, but this is a major change nevertheless. They were tied to a constitutional monarchy for 60 years.
Too bad they did not make any moves on the internal democracy front. Girija gave in on ideology but retained his grip on the organization.
Now the focus can move on back to the movement.
Breaking News: Shailaja Walks Out
Wow. What a move.
Gagan Thapa
He is being dragged back in the news again. The regime has moved the Supreme Court to seek permission to go after him.
This hint is further going to energize the September 16 rally in New York City. Possibilities of dialogue with the king - if they were there in the first place - kind of end.
In The News
- SC issues show cause order on ex minister Parajuli’s arrest NepalNews
- Political parties need internal party democracy: US Prof NepalNews ..... At a time when major political parties are facing voices for internal democracy, a visiting American professor of political science, Professor Edward R McMahon, too has advised Nepali politicians for internal party democracy and transparency....... Prof McMahon of University of Vermont urged, among others things, for political parties to use banks to keep track of party finance......
- Maoists are against human rights and civilisation: COAS Thapa NepalNews ..... Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA), General Pyar Jung Thapa ....... General Thapa said the RNA was committed to defeat them at any cost ...... Victory on war depends upon leadership. He said the RNA would arm its personnel with professional skills and emphasize on offensive training for night and develop anti-ambush drill training.......
- RNA will make public names of detainees: Martin NepalNews
- Maoists Call Off Strike at Unilever Himalayan Times, Nepal ......
- Unilever to resume operation
Kantipur Online - Maoists Take Back Unilever Shutdown Call
Himalayan Times - Shailaja Acharya Resigns from NC Central Committee Himalayan Times ....
- Shailaja Acharya resigns from NC Central Committee Kantipur Online, Nepal ...... “I resigned because the party is being sponsored by some hidden forces and it has also deviated from its main political ideology that it had been retaining so far.”
- Shailaja Acharya resigns from the NC CWC Nepalnews.com, Nepal .... she would continue her campaign to what she called ‘re-energise’ the six-decade-old party as an ordinary member of the party. ‘I strongly believe that the party can be revived by following the centrist political ideology ...... Sources say Acharya was unhappy at the CWC election results in which her arch rival, Sujata Koirala—daughter of NC president G P Koirala—polled more votes than herself....... Sujata bagged 744 votes while Acharya had to be content with 617 votes.
- Govt Moves SC Over Gagan Thapa’s Release Himalayan Times, Nepal..... The government prosecutor had filed a case against Thapa seeking a three-year jail term or a fine of Rs 3,000, or both, accusing him of chanting objectionable slogans against the King and members of the royal family violating Clause 4(1) of the Offence Against State Act, 1989. A three-member bench of judges of the Special Court Govinda Prasad Parajuli, Rana Bahadur Bam and Bhoopdhoj Adhikary, had ordered Thapa’s release saying there was not sufficient ground to detain him. “He be released as per Clause 7(c) of the Special Court Act, 2002 as there was not sufficient evidence to detain him to forward the process on the case,” the bench had observed.
