King offers PM post, spurned

Amid mounting civic unrest and protestors defying curfew, King Gyanendra offered the post of Prime Minister to Nepali Congress leader K P Bhattarai.


However, Bhattarai, a former prime minister of Nepal, turned the offer down.


Meanwhile, thousands of protestors defied the shoot-at-sight order and marched towards the Narayanhiti palace, state broadcaster Radio Nepal reported.


There were also reports of clashes in Kathmandu's twin city Keertipur and neighbouring districts of Bhaktapur and Kalanki.


Soldiers and police patrolled the streets of Nepal's capital Thursday to enforce an 18-hour curfew imposed to keep anti-king protesters off the streets, a day after security forces shot dead four pro-democracy demonstrators in the country's east.


District administration officers said the 2 am-8 pm curfew was necessary to prevent opposition parties from staging a huge rally, planned for Thursday, to demand that King Gyanendra loosen his grip on power.


Security forces have orders to shoot curfew violators on sight. Diplomats, journalists and human rights monitors have not been issued passes allowing them onto the streets as they have in the past.


Opposition leaders were meeting Thursday at an undisclosed location to decide if the rally should go ahead despite the inevitable risks attached to breaking the curfew. There were no reports of clashes or protests in Katmandu early Thursday, as hundreds of troops patrolled the capital's deserted streets.


The ring road that circles Kathmandu, which has been the venue of recent past protests to evade the regulation banning demonstrations in the city proper, was also deserted in the morning.


Two weeks of often-violent protests and a general strike against palace rule have paralysed Nepal, leaving cities short of food and fuel and the Himalayan country at its most volatile since King Gyanendra seized power 14 months ago.




The royal government has responded harshly, claiming Maoist insurgents - who are now allied with the opposition - have infiltrated rallies to instigate violence. Police have beaten, tear gassed and arrested thousands of protesters.


Ten Nepalis, including the four on Wednesday, have been slain by security forces since the opposition launched a general strike April 6.


Officials claimed security forces opened fire only after being shot at during an assault by brick-throwing protesters in Chandragadi, about 500 kilometers (310 miles) southeast of Kathmandu.


The government has made such claims in the past, although no shootings by protesters have been independently verified.


The region's chief administrator, Bhola Siwakoti, also said the demonstrators defied a ban on protests and were looting.


There were conflicting reports of how many were killed Wednesday.


The Defense Ministry said two people died, another Nepali official put the toll at four, and a UN official said it was five. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the situation's sensitivity.


"The events show how desperate the present royal regime is. It is becoming paranoid," said Dhruba Adhikary of the independent Nepal Press Institute. "The movement is getting popular, it is expanding and growing."


The opposition campaign has brought ordinary Nepalis into the streets alongside students and political activists. On Wednesday, some 250 professors held a protest. All were arrested.


Several thousand other people protested in Kathmandu. Some hurled bricks at police, who responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and baton charges.


While nearly all here said they hoped that if Thursday's protest takes place it will be peaceful, many said they did not fear violence.


"If we are faced with violence tomorrow, we will burn the palace," Ankil Shrestha, a 22-year-old student, said Wednesday. "The king will die."

Source?

here is source
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/king_will_speak_soon_karan_singh/8444-2.html

From what I have heard, the events that are to unfold in Nepal are:

1) Curfew is to be extended till early morning.

2) Gyanendra is to give a televised speech to the nation, relinquishing his iron grip - stepping down from the chairmanship.

3) Someone amongst the political party will take the PM post and perhaps "our very own, diligent and honest" political parties will work towards the "betterment" of our dear motherland. And oh, themselves. :)

First and second has been decided, but third is 50% (what I heard) and 50% (what I implied). Anyways, we got to wait till early morning to see what's going to happen.

May peace and nous prevail.

Astu!

IndisGuise:)

Once the Kings steps down, We the people should be watching our Netas from any wrong-doings from here on. If we don't watch them, they will do the same thing they did in the 90s.....fulfilled their ill-fated needs...and damn teh people ! Saathi Ho.....Let the real Democracy roll.....be vigilant.....and make our Netas accountable from hereon ! PEACE

Ani Ganatantra ko tyetro nara kaha gayo ta ? hathi ayo hathi ayo fussa ?

Indi, IF
"Someone amongst the political party will take the PM post and perhaps "our very own, diligent and honest" political parties will work towards the "betterment" of our dear motherland. And oh, themselves. :) "

I am curious to know about the reaction from the Maoist and also from CPN UML. Didn't Madhav K Nepal say, they want a Republic Nepal???

So far what ID and others are saying here is based on rumors and speculations. Don't take any of that otherwise unless verified. The royalists will try one last time to spread any kinds of rumors to diffuse the current confrontation and buy more time to confuse the people. So watch out.

In today's situation, if any neta accepts the PM post, He will not be spared by the public....This revolution is not merely a Political party revolution, it is Nepali Janta's revolution....

One person will accept the PM. He is Tara Nath Ranabhat. He is very hungry for PM.

I guess you're right lonely. I don't think this whole thing is just about the netas getting back their seats, they won't be spared by the public if they compromise with the King like they always do.

.Do you think the nepali neta remembers what they said earlier. Madhab Nepal, Girija, Deuba and all those motherfuking bastards will forget what they said the minute they gets some good offer from King. All these netas who were ex PM or minister don't give a damn about Republic Nepal.

Guzmoon,

In the nutshell, my personal assumption would be that the political parties believe that they can mould the king into constitutionally powerless and make Maoist agree on that and drop their weapon. Easier said than done!

Regarding what CPN-UML, or better still what Makune said, is only as relevant as any other bigger political parties. Were they not the one to jump for an opportunity to participate in the last cabinet? Thus, are they equally responsible as is Deuba, who got played like a remote controlled "putali"?

And lonely1,
The first two points of what I said is not a farce, but a fact, that was told to me from someone I know in KTM. Anyways, it can be verified by early morning come tomorrow. So let's just wait.

Regarding the kind of rumor you accuse of me of spreading by simply trying to share, what I heard from a very credible person, in Sajha, is pathetic at best and ignorance at worse. By the way the person also mentioned the figures they say that got killed in Kalanki could be higher than what are being reported. Also, that person was glad that the king is stepping down. My personal take would be, he is non-affiliated to any party, but just has some sources. I do not participate in propagating by imagining stuffs and trying to create 2 minutes confusion.

But I really do believe the announcement is going to come tomorrow morning.

IndisGuise:)

P.S
Caveat: Since Gyanendra did not consult personally with me, don't hold it against me hai ta. :)

I don't think the maoist would agree if the parties compromise with the King but like you said Indi, they're all cut from the same piece of cloth , who knows they might be just waiting for the call from the Durbar hoina ta?

the main problem with the people who were against the ongoing movement from the very beginning is that they can't see beyond the leaders. they'll always try to downplay the extreme height this movement has attained and easily dismiss this movement by saying that as soon as the leaders are called from 'above', the movement will disappear. however, the fact of the matter is that this movement will not not stop for anything less than reinstatement of the parliament and thereafter elections for constituent assembly. if gyane continues to carry on with his stupidity for another week, the institution of manarchy itself is bound to be doomed if not doomed already.

The Hitler of Nepal is getting desperate. Now he is trying to cheat people by
offering the post of PM.
What a LOSER.

होईन यात्राो ठुलो जन आन्दोलन लाई पनि एउटा नाथए मन्त्री मन्डल पुनर्गठन गरेर सल्टाउन खोजेको छ यौ मुर्ती चोर ले ।

गन्तन्त्रबादी माम्पका

The only way to make sure Paras doesn't become the next King is by throwing away the present King out of the palace.. If they compromise now, the consequences will be deadly once that Paras moron becomes the King.

त्यही त मापाका साथी, त्यो ज्ञाने गधाको अलिकति पनि बुध्दि भएको भए राजसंस्थाको यो हविगत हुने नै थिएन नि! अब चाहिँ कुकूर जाने नै भयो जस्तो छ।

I think that Madhav Nepal will never accept anything less than election to Constituent Assembly. About Girija and Deuba, they will be happy with so called "Constitutional Monarchy". Lets see...