Tightrope walk still on for Nepal PM

A fortnight after his election as Nepal’s 34th prime minister, Jhalanath Khanal is still performing a tightrope walk to save his government and party from falling apart.

Updated on: Feb 19, 2011, 24:27:23 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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A fortnight after his election as Nepal’s 34th prime minister, Jhalanath Khanal is still performing a tightrope walk to save his government and party from falling apart.

After retracting its earlier stance and agreeing to join the government, Maoists did another volte face on Thursday by deciding to stay out of Khanal’s cabinet and support him from outside.

Now the 60-year-old is bogged down by pressure from Maoists and detractors within Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) opposed to his secret deal with Maoist chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

The Maoists U-turn came after Khanal’s party, refused to hand over the home ministry to the coalition partner as part of Khanal-Dahal deal.

There is fear that Maoists who are yet to give up control of the 19,000-strong Peoples’ Liberation Army could use the ministry to withdraw cases of rights abuse against cadres.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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