“Maoists decided to nominate me because they were impressed by my articles published in Kantipur daily.” -Kumar Phodung
By Bishnu Bodhathoki
Having served in the Nepal Army (NA) [former Royal Nepal Army] for 35 years, ex-Major General Kumar Phodung has been nominated as a member of the interim legislature by the Maoists. Talking to the Kathmandu Post, Phodung said, “They decided to make me a parliamentarian without consulting me but I am ready to serve.” He said that he received the information only on Thursday (11 Jan) when he was in Itahari. Phodung also informed that Maoist Chairman Prachanda held a meeting with all nominees at Thamel yesterday.
When asked about his connection with the Maoists, Phodung replied that he had no direct relations with them. According to him, the Maoists decided to nominate him as a parliamentarian after being impressed by his articles, published in Kantipur daily. Phodung who joined the military as second lieutenant, served 35 years and retired in July 2002.
The CPN-Maoist nominees are: Kumar Phodung, Shanta Shrestha, Malla K Sundar, Bhikshu Ananda, Hari Roka, Narayan Prasad Sharma (journalist from Dang), Padamlal Bishwokarma (Dalit activist), Illiyad Alam, Krishna Prasad Acharya, and Krishna Devi Chaudhri (freed Kamaiya). However, Maoist spokesperson Krishna Bahadur Mahara said that the names have only been proposed, and are yet to be formally approved by the party.
The CPN-UML Standing Committee announced the names of its additional 10 nominees to the interim parliament and submitted these to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala this evening. Here are the names:
Bam Dev Gautam,
Jhalanath Khanal
and Amrit Kumar Bohara (Gautam, Khanal and Bohara had contested the 1999 parliamentary elections from Bardiya, Ilam and Sindhupalchwok respectively.)
Paru Devi Yadav (Siraha) -widow of late Hem Narayan Yadav
Parbati Chaudhari (Kailali)- widow of late Chakra Bahadur Dagaura Chaudhary
Shanti Pakhrin (Dolakha)- widow of late Buddhi Man Pakhrin
Rijwan Ansari (Bara)
Chudamani Jangali BK (Kaski)
Jayanti Rai (Bhojpur)
Rima Nepali (Rolpa)
The People’s Front Nepal announced the three names:
Kaman Singh Lama
Anjana Bishankhe
Asarphi Sada
Nepali Congress is yet to finalize its list for the interim parliament. The NC has delegated authority to Prime Minister and party President Girija Prasad Koirala to take the decision in this regard. According to a source, these are the probable candidates:
General Secretary K B Gurung, party members Bhim Bahadur Tamang, Laxman Ghimire and Meena Pandey, the PM’s daughter Sujata Koirala, Dr Shekhar Koirala , Suprabha Ghimire, Mitharam Bishwokarma and Sita Devi Yadav.
Meanwhile, the NC-D Central Working Committee meeting failed to finalize the list of its six additional members for the parliament.
United We Blog 
Comments
9 responses to “A [Royal] Nepal Army General [Rtd.] Is Maoist Member of Interim Parliament”
It does not matter who is in the parliament representing the maoists. But the main concern here is that the maoists have been committing the attroticities they have been committing in the past, thought the numbers have been less.
their continued attroticities have not been put forward in the parliament of anywhere in the top order strongly so that it be put in control or better stopped. nor have the government been able to penetrate into their strong holds quite what it had to be. it has been 10+ years that the people over there been out of touch or been out of any propler law and order situation. these have to be stopped and soon.
kathmandu or the main cities is not nepal. there are many villages which are and definately part of nepal.
why is this not been asked to the maoists leaders? what has been happening in the villages? why is the government being so soft towards the maoists? why is it that the maoists are in the city but the govenment forces are not in the villages?
the voices of the village people should also be heard.
I agree with sameer completely. Even people like hari roka who is a pro indian has been nominated by the maoists. So, yes it does not matter who is representing the maoists in the government. It does not matter, at least at this stage of time.
I have also heard that the new parliament needs to be dissolved at least three months prior to the election, which leaves us around two months of official interim parliament if the election is to be held in mid- june.
thanks/ …agree as usual, to and with common sense. daniubad. Yes there is pressure for the electoral process.
Kumar Bahadur Phudong is not selected by the Maoists. He has been selected by the Indian Embassy to go to the interim parliament.
It is funny Girija is selecting his own daughter, and nephew as two of the 10 nominees. That is 20% of the nominees.
Even after all this war, people’s dwindling support for NC, King’s coup, they still have not got it. At least, this time they should have refrained from selecting only Girija’s own people.
Wait till how royalists will seize this opportunity created by NC selecting Sujata Koirala and play it against the 8 parties.
And I know some people will turn against 8 parties because nepotism is one big thing we were fighting against. Why give these royalists a chance to throw mud at you?
GM-Girija is a royalist. Man, what a selfish greedy idiot this vulture is. I hate the Maoists but the alternatives seem as hopeless!
Yea, what ever Phodung – let it be known that your wife and fu cking Dev Gurungs wife are sisters. We will be darned not to realize fully well that you as a major general in the Nepalese Army through the 2002 – 2004 did not disclose any senstive material to the maoist. Thats your reward to be nominated in the by the fu cking moist to the interim gov’t – that we call in my language “a pussy” and to the rest that have belived in honor and courage a “traitor”
You can stick your ass between your fcking arse in shame –