Sunday, April 27, 2008

Girija Prasad Koirala met with army chief, General Rookmangud Katawal

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala met with army chief, General Rookmangud Katawal, at his official residence in Baluwatar Sunday morning, as pressure mounts on him to quit the top job and make way for a Maoist-led government.

The meeting has come at a time when CPN-Maoist chairman Prachanda has laid a strong claim on the top post following his party's emergence as the largest single party through the 10 April polls.

However, the army headquarters has toned down its significance by calling it a "routine meeting".

It is learnt that PM Koirala called this meeting to try to learn how the Nepali Army is taking the ongoing peace process including the possibility of Maoist forming the government as it had had quite a verbal spat with Maoist leadership in the run up to the polls and has a decade-long history of animosity with the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Similarly, the thorny issue of army integration is also learnt to have featured highly during the half an hour long discussion.

PM Koirala also met with general secretary of South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Dr Sheel Kanta Sharma.

Meanwhile, there are reports that Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala could address the nation Sunday afternoon. If he does so, it would be his address after the holding of the CA election.

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