Maoists in Singha Durbar.

Must take break from monitoring the Iran stand-off to shortly comment on the developments in Nepal.
Mark this day, whichever way the things turn, it's truly historic:

Chaitra 18th 2063B.S. / 2007-04-01C.E.

Preliminary portfolios (only 21 out 26 portfolios are known!) look like this:

Nepali Congress (5)

Girija Prasad Koirala Prime Minister and Defense Minister
Ram Chandra Poudel Minister for Peace and Reconstruction
Dr Ram Sharan Mahat Minister for Finance
Krishna Prasad Sitauala Minister for Home Affairs
Mahantha Thakur Minister for Science and Technology

CPN-UML (6)

Sahana Pradhan Minister for Foreign Affairs
Pradip Nepal Minister for Education and Sports
Chhabilal BK Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives
Ram Chandra Yadav Minister for General Administration
Prithvi Subba Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation, Ram Chandra Yadav
Mohan Singh Rathaur State Minister for Education and Sports

CPN-M (5)

Krishna Bahadur Mahara Minister for Information and Communication
Dev Gurung Minister for Local Development
Hisila Yami Minister for Physical Planning and Works
Matrika Yadav Minister for Soil Conservation
Khadka Badhadur BK Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare

NC-D (3)

Narendra Bikram Nemwang Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs
Ramesh Lekhak State Minister for Labour and Transport Management
Gyanendra Bahadur Karki State Minister for Water Resources

NSP-A (1)

Rajendra Mahato Minister for Commerce, Industry and Supply

ULF (1)

Jagat Bahadur Bogati Minister for Land Reforms and Management

Maoists got less than they bargained for, thanks Shiva!
The analogy I used earlier with Czechoslovakia in February 1948 is not valid here, I wonder if Girija read my posts and my warnings not to give, what the Russians call "siloviki" ministries ("power ministries) to the Maobadis: it was the control of Defence and Home ministries in my old country which gave Klement Gottwald the "tools" to harass, intimidate and ultimately JAIL the politicians of majority democratic parties! And then we "waited" for next free elections 43 years!!!
On the other hand Sitaula [Home] is wing-shot and "owes" Maoists a lot, and his effectiveness in these troubled, turbulent times is questionable.
People desperately want PEACE DIVIDEND, and one which is diametraly at odds with Prachanda's vision: they want LAW and ORDER, freedom fom maobadi extorters & enforcers and assorted thugs which push Nepal toward abyss. It's not YET failed state like Somalia or, closer to home, Pakistan, but the year-long inter-regnum brougth my beloved Nepal closer to that terrible chaos!