the magnitude of the current movement is unprecedented, and there are no signs of a let-down. however there is no clear leader that people are rallying around. cuba had che and fidel, the US had washington and the founding fathers, india had gandhi bose and nehru, south africa had mandela. who are people rallying around in nepal? the general hatred for the political parties has decreased somewhat (i guess if you're on the same side, you're bound to have some affinity for onanother), but there is no clear individuals that people are willing to stand alongside. isn't that wierd? this general autonomous and simultaneous uprising arising from pent-up frustrations. isn't it dangerous? the fact that there is no clear individual (or set of individuals) who can lead us forward.

if there is a free and fair electoin, we'll see more diversity in hte leadersship. otherwise, it's gonna be the same old farts - girije, makune, puspe and baburame... let's hope for a free and fair election

Too bad Ganesh Man SIngh is not among us anymore, no?

what?
where are you getting that from lemon?

ohhhhhhhhhh........never mind.
never mindd...i was thinkin something else.

lfc123 the word "political void" in the context of nepalese leaders reminded me of the greatest democratic leader Nepal has witnessed so far .. so i just wrote his name. :)

Well, Ganesh Man...when had the chance to lead the country..chose K.P. Bhattarai....he was not a leader per se....just a catalyst !

Let's filter out good ones from this result of 1999 poll. Not all of them should be bad. After all, people elected them.

Constituency	Elected Candidate	Nearest Rival
Ilam-1	Benup R. Prashain	Jhalanath Khanal
	NC-18608,	UML-18502
Ilam-2	Subhas Nembang	K. B. Gurung
	UML-17406,	NC-15483
Ilam-3	Keshab Thapa	Agam Bantawa
	NC-18943,	UML-17707
Jhapa-1	Krishna P. Sitaula	Narayan Rajbanshi
	NC-21003,	UML-17652
Jhapa 2	K. P. Oli	Giriraj Kumari
	UML-18909,	NC-18892
Jhapa-3	Narendra Bikram Nembang	Bishnu Prashain
	NC-17561,	UML- 15300
Jhapa-4	Chakra Banstola	Yukta Bhetwal
	NC-15671,	UML-15645
Jhapa-5	Tara Sombahang	Santosh K. Nembang
	UML- 19164,	NC-16155
Jhapa-6	KP Oli	Kashilal Tajpuria
	UML-23749,	NC-19713
Dhankuta-1	Durga Likha	Hari Rai
	UML-15512,	NC-11207
Dhankuta-2	Surya B. Thapa	Gopal Guragain
	RPP-12145,	UML-11119
Morang-1	Girija Prasad Koirala	Bharat M. Adhikari
	NC-22164,	UML-15648
Morang-5	Mahesh Acharya	Subodh Pyakurel
	NC-19119,	UML-15450
Sunshari-5	Girija P. Koirala	Mahmood Anshari
	NC- 19990,	UML12894
Saptari-4	Jagdish P. Shah	Chetilal Chaudhari
	UML-14183,	12669
Dhanusha-3	Aananda Dhungana	Hem B. Malla
	NC-15026,	RPP-C-13736
Dolakha-1	Pashupati Chaulagain	Bhim B. Tamang
	UML- 20243,	NC-15093
Dolkha -2	Ananda Praasad Pokharel	Tara B. Koiralla
	UML-15845,	NC-11752
Kathmandu-2	Bidya Devi Bhandari	Ambika Basnet
	UML-12552,	NC-11387
Kathmandu -4	P L Singh	Bharat Kumar Pradhan
	NC-12554,	CPN-UML-7296
Kathmandu-6	Ashtalxmi Shaakya	Marshal Julum Shakya
	UML-16307,	NC-14107
Kathmandu -7	Tirtha Ram Dangol	Krishana Gopl shrestha
	NC-18587,	UML-15304
Bhaktapur-1	Narayan Man Bijukchhe	Ganesh Man Chakradhar
	NWPP-16533,	NC-10030
Bhaktapur-2	Lekh Nath Neupane	Sunil Prajappati
	NC-14200,	NWPP-13432
Lalitpur-1	Sushila Nepal	Keshar Bdr Bista
	UML-13893,	Independent-9975
Lalitpur-2	Krishna Lal Maharajan	Jagat Raj Shakya
	UML-16169,	NC-14878
Lalitpur-3	Raghuji Pant	Kamala Maskey
	UML-15570,	NC-12249
Makawanpur2	Birodh Khatiwada	Dipak Singh
	UML-18281,	RPP-15901
Rahtahat-1	Madhab K. Nepal	Bajra Kishore Singh
	UML-22868,	NC-10756
Rautahat-2	Md. Aftab Alam	Abul Kalam Ajad
	NC-29785,	UML-19775
Rautahat-4	Madhav Kumar Nepal	Uddav Dhakal
	UML-26758,	NC-19125
Bara-1	Uma Kanta Choudhari	Mukanda Neupane
	NC-23601,	UML-20646
Parsa-1	Krishna Prasad Bhattarai	Chiranjibi Pd. Acharya
	NC-24299,	UML-13193
Chitwan-1	Sabitri Bogati (Pathak)	Jagrit Prasad Bhetwal
	NC-19087,	UML-18176
Chitwan-2	Eknath Ranabhat	Sita Kumar Poudel
	NC-21727,	UML-19502
Chitwan-3	Gangadhar Lamsal	Nar Bahadur Khad
	NC-23265,	UML-14499
Chitwan-4	Narayan Sharma Poudyal	Bikram Pandey
	NC-18160,	RPP-10670
Gorakha-1	Chiranjibi Wagle	Ramsharan Basnet
	NC-17305,	UML-13438
Gorkha-2	Kamala Panta (Acharya)	Prem B. Shrestha
	NC-11544,	UML-11131
Gorakha-3	Harilal Joshi	Shiva Kumar Shrestha
	NC-15477,	UML-10292
Lamjung-1	Ram B. Gurung	Mayanath Adhikari
	NC-16605,	UML-14352
Kabhre-3	Rajendra Kharel	Bidur Sapkota
	NC-18925,	UML-18404
Dhading-3	Rajendra Prasad Pandey	Bharat Prasad Upreti
	UML-20473,	NC-13263
Manang-1	Palten Gurung	Elected unopposed
	NC
Kaski-1	Taranath Ranabhat	Khag Raj Adhikari
	NC-23939,	UML-20136
Kaski-2	Mahadhev Gurung	Tul Bdr Gurung
	NC-26443,	UML-22126
Kaski-3	Prakash B. Gurung	Somnath  Pyasi
	NC-18739,	UML-16091
Tanahu-1	Govinda Raj Joshi	Ek Bahadur Rana Magar
	NC-23205,	UML-15908
Tanahu-2	Ram Chandra Poudel	Shankar N. Shrestha
	NC-24446,	UML-10325
Tanahu-3	Turkraj Sigdel	Bushanbir Ale
	UML-20562,	NC-19015
Syangja-1	Hit Kazi Gurung	Jagat Bandhu Aryal
	UML-22733,	NC-20722
Syangja-2	Gopal Man Shrestha	Prem Narayan Sharma
	NC-21572,	UML-13991
Syangja-3	Shankar Prasad Pandey	Bishnu Bahadur Thapa
	NC-23102,	UML-16893
Pyuthan-1	Hari Acharya	Chakra Rokka Magar
	Mashal-14890,	ML-6194
Salyan-1	Prakash Jwala	Rajendra Bahadur Shah
	UML-8208,	NC-7089
Salyan-2	Netra Lal Sherstha	Mahesh Kumar Malla
	RPP-10922,	NC-8372
Dang-1	Khum Bahadur Khadka	Parsu N. Chaudhary
	NC-27865,	RPP-9159
Dang-2	Bal Dev Shrama	Chhabilal Oli
	NC-14811,	UML-8463
Dang-3	Krishna Kishor Ghimire	Shankar Pokharel
	NC-19072,	UML-11647
Dang-4	Gehendra Giri	Shrimani Sharma
	NC-16061,	UML-8274
Mugu-1	Chandra B. Shahi	Karme Jaishy
	UML-11134,	NC-8701
Dolpa-1	Nar B Budhathoki	Karna B. Budha
	UML-8371,	Independent-4567
Kalikot-1	Prem B. Singh	Netra B. Shahi
	UML-10813,	NC-9394
Jumla	Devi Lal Thapa	Din Bandhu Shrama
	UML-11324,	NC-8318
Humla	Grakh B. Bogati	Chakra B. Shahi
	UML-11879,	Independent
Jajarkot-1	Govinda Bikram Shah	Krishna Bahadur Shahi
	RPP-8452,	UML-7676
Jajarkot-2	Ratna Prasad Sharma	Deepak Jung Shahi
	UML-9207,	Independent-4811
Surkhet-1	Purna B. Khadka	Rishi Prasad Sharmi
	NC-16980,	UML-16594
Surkhet-2	Rhiday Ram Thani	Shiv Prasad Upadhaya
	NC-16870,	UML-15791
Surkhet-3	Shiva Raj Joshi	Nanda Chapai
	NC-10687,	UML-8310
Bankey-1	Gyanu KC	Dinesh Chandra Yadav
	NC-15137,	UML-14179
Bankey-2	Shushil Koirala	Rizwan Ahmad Shah
	NC-15256,	ML-6185
Bankey-3	Kailashnath Kasoudhan	Dal B. Sunar
	NC-12086,	ML-8735
Bardiya-1	Kashi Poudel	Bam Dev Gautam
	NC-17219,	ML-13247
Bardiya-2	Mangal Prasad Tharu	Prativa Rana
	NC-14070,	RPP-9617
Bardiya-3	Khemraj Bhatta Mayalu	Shyam Prasad Dhakal
	NC-15574,	UML-8952
Rukum-1	Kesharman Rokka	Nandallal Sharama
	NC-7992,	UML-7685
Rukum-2	Tirtha Gautam	Gopalji Jung Shahi
	UML-11135,	NC-10639
Rolpa-1	Lekh Nath Acharya	Bhup N. Ghartimagar
	NC-6695,	RPP-5225
Rolpa-2	Surendra Hamal	Kumar Dasoudi
	NC-8344,	UML-6924
Doti-1	Bhakta B. Balayar	Harka B. Singh
	NC-14198,	UML-12290
Dadeldhura	Sher Bahadur Deuba	Bageshori D. Chatawat
	NC-28651,	UML7840
Nawalparasi-3	Hridesh Tripathi	Triyug N. Chaudhari
	NSP-18133,	NC- 17349
Dailekh-2	Shiva Raj Joshi	Binod Shah
	NC-18882,	UML-14448
Morang-6	Hari N. Chaudhari	Guru Baral
	NC- 13656,	UML-12953
Saptari-1	Jaya P. Anand	Hiralal Chaudhari
	NC-15083,	UML-13853
Rupendehi-1	Duryodhan Singh	Dipak Bohara
	NC-13092,	RPP(C)-12771
Siraha	Chitralekha	Hira Bahadur
	NC-21029,	UML-14094
Dhanusha-5	Ram Baran Yadav	Shree Krishna Yadav
	NC-23112,	UML-18041
Dailekh-1	Nara B. Hamal	Ganesh B. Khadka
	UML-17047,	NC-15765
Parsa-4	Urmila Aryal	Ramesh Rijal
	UML-17095,	NC-15927
Siraha-3	Krishna C. Shrestha	Surendra Das
	RPP-14396	NC-12751

The absence of a clear leader is a double-edged sword. On one hand, there is no one to set the direction of the mass movement and therefore no one person the masses will listen to if there arises a need to put a brake on things. On the other hand, the fact that the protest have been largely peaceful, in spite of their spontaneity and lack of coordination, shows that the Nepali public is still fairly pacifist and there will be tremendous public pressure on the parties to maintain normalcy, peace law and order in case the King is overthrown.

The impact of Indian policy of coaxing Gyane can be counterproductive to India. Is India looking for a case similar to Rajib Gandhi death? It would be better if Indians don't meddle in Nepalis revolution if they can't help. Nobody can say anything about the potential of Nepalis spark right now. The real revolution hasn't begun yet.