ShareSaveThis article is more than 5 years old.Courtesy of Mike Bagale
Mike Bagale wanted to become a film director
he enrolled part-time at Ryerson University in Toronto
finishing with a certificate in film communications
he applied to work as a cook at the Four Seasons Hotel in Palm Beach
“I was surprised that with my lack of real cooking experience
Though at the time he had little knowledge in the kitchen
Bagale had always possessed a passion for food
he’d eaten simply as a kid—“my dad worked a lot
and going out was typically reserved for special occasions,” he says—but even at an early age
and when we went out to restaurants I made an effort to always order something that I had never tasted before,” he recalls
“This desire for discovery was a huge catalyst for my appreciation for food.”
his father took him to a bakery in New Orleans’ French Quarter
“It was my first exposure to proper sourdough and room-temperature butter,” he says
“exposed me to everything I needed to become obsessed with cooking,” from texture
Bagale's 16-inch black truffle and parmesan French fry was inspired ..
preparing meals for 350 guests for breakfast
“I just kept my head down and worked on improving constantly.” On his days off
Among his most-thumbed titles were Michel Bras’ Essential Cuisine
A year and a half later he transferred to the resort’s award-winning restaurant as a full-fledged cook
going on to complete stints at the hotel brand’s locations in Washington
Eventually he was promoted to chef de cuisine at Palm Beach
which put him in charge of all of the hotel’s restaurants and culinary offerings
he was invited to join the culinary team at Alinea—a restaurant in Chicago specializing in molecular gastronomy
Mike Bagale with Alinea's chef-owner Grant Achatz in 2015
Bagale had always enjoyed experimenting with avant-garde techniques—“I really love playing with textures
and people who know my cuisine know that I try not only to tell a story with the dishes
but to create textures that are relatively uncanny,” he explains—and the new role granted him immense creative freedom in the kitchen
the restaurant was awarded three Michelin stars—a distinction it has held every year since
It was there that he came up with his most famous creation: the edible balloon
“I wanted to make small edible bubbles float—like the ones I saw in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” he reveals
“The scene where Charlie was floating in the bubbles has always been one of my favorite scenes in movie history.”
Bagale's helium-filled edible balloons are made with inverted sugar syrup
The first time Bagale tried to create the buoyant dessert
“Realizing that I was playing with a potential bomb
“It took about two weeks for me to work out the first recipe—no more than thirty hours total.” The green apple taffy balloons were a hit
quickly becoming Alinea’s most famous offering
after returning from a research trip to Tokyo
he decided to put a dish on the restaurant’s menu that was “essentially a pile of binchotan [Japanese charcoal] that we set on fire and allowed to burn
filling the room with the wonderful smell of white oak,” he recalls
the service team would approach the table and reveal a hidden surprise underneath the coals: a piece of wagyu cured and wrapped in braised kombu [kelp] that was slowly cooking under the fire.”
a piece of binchotan exploded due to the moisture trapped inside
and I quickly learned that I needed to dry the charcoal overnight in an oven to remove all moisture,” he says
Bagale left Alinea in 2018—“I felt like I’d given that restaurant everything I had,” he says—and launched a culinary consulting firm
teaming up with various brands all over the world
Bagale prepared a cherry blossom dish with citrus-cured ..
Collaborations include one with BMW (which took him to five different cities in India) and a project with Sakara (which involved developing plant-based meals for the New York-based wellness company)
He also lived in Hong Kong for a few months while working on a partnership with Vogue
for which he created an artistic experience with food and lighting to complement a gallery exhibit showcasing the magazine’s most iconic fashion photographers
I am especially interested in collaborating with other artists and brands not necessarily in the food industry,” he says
“It’s through these types of partnerships that I can be creative in new ways—which aligns with the brand I believe I have created for myself.”
Bagale created piña colada-flavored "diamonds" made from the distillation of pineapple ..
More and lime combined with coconut milk and rum
and Roy Lichtenstein—not to mention photographers Peter Lindburgh
and Nick Knight (whom he recently partnered with)—among his top muses
Bagale—whose favorite destinations are Tokyo
and Mexico City—fervently seeks out new cooking techniques and cultures
he’s studied bread-making techniques in India
and the art of nixtamalization (an ancient method of preparing maize) in Mexico—and has ventured to more than a dozen other cities (including Madrid
and Santorini) purely for the sake of research
The chef served a wagyu tartare bao topped with Osetra caviar for a recent partnership in Dubai
the 38-year-old chef—who recently married food writer Kat Odell—seems to be enjoying the nomadic life
when he plans on launching a new restaurant in a yet-to-be-determined location (likely in Brooklyn or Los Angeles)
only going as far as to say “it will be modern
and highly innovative while still being extremely approachable.”
The one person Bagale wishes would dine at his restaurant
“I think he brings a certain level of charm to most events
and seems like he enjoys a great time,” he explains
As for what he’d prepare for the famed funnyman: “tacos made with fresh tortillas—and lots of mezcal.”
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who retired as vice chancellor for government relations at the University of Michigan-Dearborn in 2012
died of complications of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
the Detroit Free Press together with the Detroit-based Metropolitan Affairs Coalition awarded Mr
Bagale the Eleanor Josaitis Unsung Hero Award
named for one of the founders of Focus: HOPE
was created to "recognize an individual who may not have yet received the widespread recognition she or he deserves for long-standing efforts to further regional cooperation and understanding."
Bagale was honored for his work to build a broad coalition for the support of environmental stewardship in the Rouge River watershed
for decades one of the worst sources of water pollution in the Great Lakes
Bagale’s work led to the establishment of the Environmental Interpretive Center at U-M Dearborn
and to major expansions of the Rouge River Gateway Trail
the pathway for walkers and cyclists that ties Dearborn to extensive parklands and similar trails in western Wayne County and beyond
"Ed’s accomplishments were numerous and remarkable," said U-M Dearborn Chancellor Daniel Little
in an e-mail to staff and students at the Dearborn campus
Bagale began his decades of service to U-M Dearborn as director of admissions in 1969
He took a leave of absence to serve as district administrator for U.S
then returned to U-M Dearborn as associate vice chancellor/government relations before moving up to vice chancellor in 1995
"He was involved in so many projects and initiatives that have transformed our campus over the years
including securing state funding for the construction or renovation of numerous buildings
and he spearheaded efforts to make campus housing a reality for our students here," Little said in his campus-wide email
Henry Ford Health System and the Rouge River Gateway Partnership
which recognizes exceptional U-M Dearborn students for their academic achievement
The body has been cremated and a private funeral was held
Contact Bill Laitner: blaitner@freepress.com
This week, Eater launches a four-part interview series exploring the collaborative creative process at Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas' Chicago restaurants Alinea, The Aviary, and Next, as well as the collaboration among them
Part one of the series explores Alinea today as it is guided by executive chef Mike Bagale
Now leading the charge at Alinea is former sous chef Mike Bagale
whom Achatz considers to be the restaurant's new executive chef rather than the more traditional chef de cuisine
Eater met with both men to discuss how they work together to reinvent Alinea
he procured these amazing shrimp from Hawaii and texted us down the street [at Next and The Aviary] and said
"We have a bunch of shrimp if you guys want some." There's just a great sense of a bunch of really creative
really passionate people that are working together
but if you don't have the wide receiver to catch that ball
If you don't have the great running back to hand off to and him to blaze forward 10 yards
So now we have this team in place that I feel is super talented
It's going to allow us to go further within the restaurants that we have now and expand
Alinea, Chicago. [Photo: Barry Brecheisen]
I would even say that creatively I'm more involved with Next and Aviary than I am here at Alinea
I think chef Simon and chef Mike are pushing this menu forward within the parameters that we've established the last eight-and-a-half years
but voicing their own creative personality
It's the same thing that Thomas [Keller] has done with French Laundry and Per Se
and Daniel [Boulud] has done with Cafe Boulud and Daniel and all his restaurants
There's no way that I can touch everything at every moment
I think it's just smart to realize the talent that we have and empower them to make decisions
Mike Bagale and Grant Achatz at Alinea. [Photo: Barry Brecheisen]
Let's just take it off the menu." My rule is I'm happy to take it off the menu if we can come up with something that is equal or better
Because we don't want to jeopardize the guest's experience
but then creatively we have to make ourselves happy
So I think we're getting to that point where we need to reinvent
We're talking about remodeling the restaurant
We have a lot of ideas that we're trying to implement
whether it be the ambiance in the room or interjecting music or going back to ideas that we had nine years ago
What if for one course you got up and walked around
Michelin comes out November 12
We've already kind of bucked the rules in a way where Next didn't get a star for the last two years
And Michelin publicly said the reason is because [they] couldn't get in
Because for whatever reason they don't know how to use a computer and book a reservation
if we encourage people to stand up and not be in a $700 chair at this beautiful wood table
you made us stand up and walk to the kitchen for a bite
That's not what they do in France." Does it matter
Stay tuned tomorrow for part two in this four-part interview series
in which Achatz and Kokonas sit down with The Aviary's chef Andrew Brochu and beverage director Charles Joly
Mike Bagale and Grant Achatz in Alinea's kitchen. [Photo: Barry Brecheisen]
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The executive chef of three-Michelin-starred Alinea in Chicago says his new role is pure happenstance
His decision to try his knife skills at culinary school was arguably one of the best he’s ever made. “I’ve always had an affinity for the kitchen but I really chose to start cooking towards the end of high school. When I commit to something, I do it to the best of my ability, so when I chose to enter the world of cooking as a profession, I sought to learn from the best,” he says. And ‘the best’ was Alinea.
“When the Alinea cookbook landed in my lap I knew where I wanted to be. So I sent [Grant Achatz] an email and I was invited to go to Chicago to do a two-day trial.”
Having started at Alinea as an intern in 2009, Davies’s new position is, if anything, well-deserved. And although it’s bittersweet to accept the position of an old colleague who has chosen to move on (Bagale and Davies started in the same year), the opportunity is certainly more sweet than bitter.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to step into the role after [Mike Bagale],” says Davies. With many years of training under his belt, it’s a role he won’t need much easing into.Under Davies’s guidance, there have been and will continue to be some shifts. As a new dish is developed, the restaurant evolves.
“With each new dish comes a new thought process, technique or ingredient. That drives the change of the restaurant,” says Davies.
Some additions to the menu include a scallop dish with noodles manufactured from rice and scallops served with a southern Thai-inspired curry, another is a black octopus dish that utilizes Korean flavors and techniques. “There is also a course in which we revisit a French classic — Rossini (named after the composer Gioachino Rossini). We present and carve wagyu beef table-side, while playing the overture from his final opera for the Gallery and KT experience,” he says.
View this post on Instagram @ahemberger captured some scenes from an homage to a classical dish and composer Gioachino Rossini.
A post shared by Simon Davies (@simon.a.davies) on Sep 17
Two of the biggest developments in the pipeline focus more on the experience and less on the actual food. The first expansion is to incorporate music into the dining experience — unsurprising for a once-aspiring musician. Another project they are working on is with ceramic artist Cara Janelle
“We are working with Janelle to combine the food and service pieces beautifully,” says Davies
The plates Janelle has designed for the pastry course (which is inspired by flavors of Mexico) are fired with some of the same ingredients as the actual dish
the changes being implemented are smart and surprising
“The whole philosophy that [Achatz] has created at Alinea is based on change.”Hero image courtesy of Alinea
Mary Holland is a freelance writer based in New York City
she previously worked at Condé Nast in Cape Town as the online editor for GQ
She has written for a number of publications including Monocle
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When Simon Davies landed the role as executive chef at Chicago\u2019s Alinea after Mike Bagale stepped down in May
\u201cI\u2019d been training for [the position] for such a long time
so it didn\u2019t come as a surprise to anyone at Alinea,\u201d he says
Having worked as chef de cuisine at the three-Michelin-starred restaurant for almost five years
Davies had been adopting more responsibilities in anticipation for what would one day be his role.It\u2019s a role that wasn\u2019t always in the cards for Davies
Growing up as an aspiring musician in California
he found his love for food through cooking for his friends at house parties
\u201cI was known to cook late night snacks for everyone
There was always a moment when the chaos of the party would stop and everyone would come together to enjoy what was made,\u201d he says
His decision to try his knife skills at culinary school was arguably one of the best he\u2019s ever made
\u201cI\u2019ve always had an affinity for the kitchen but I really chose to start cooking towards the end of high school
so when I chose to enter the world of cooking as a profession
I sought to learn from the best,\u201d he says
\u201cWhen the Alinea cookbook landed in my lap I knew where I wanted to be
So I sent [Grant Achatz] an email and I was invited to go to Chicago to do a two-day trial.\u201d
Having started at Alinea as an intern in 2009
And although it\u2019s bittersweet to accept the position of an old colleague who has chosen to move on (Bagale and Davies started in the same year)
the opportunity is certainly more sweet than bitter
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for the opportunity to step into the role after [Mike Bagale],\u201d says Davies
With many years of training under his belt
it\u2019s a role he won\u2019t need much easing into.Under Davies\u2019s guidance
there have been and will continue to be some shifts
\u201cWith each new dish comes a new thought process
That drives the change of the restaurant,\u201d says Davies
Some additions to the menu include a scallop dish with noodles manufactured from rice and scallops served with a southern Thai-inspired curry
another is a black octopus dish that utilizes Korean flavors and techniques
\u201cThere is also a course in which we revisit a French classic \u2014 Rossini (named after the composer Gioachino Rossini)
We present and carve wagyu beef table-side
while playing the overture from his final opera for the Gallery and KT experience,\u201d he says
@ahemberger captured some scenes from an homage to a classical dish and composer Gioachino Rossini.
A post shared by Simon Davies (@simon.a.davies) on Sep 17
Two of the biggest developments in the pipeline focus more on the experience and less on the actual food. The first expansion is to incorporate music into the dining experience \u2014 unsurprising for a once-aspiring musician. Another project they are working on is with ceramic artist Cara Janelle
\u201cWe are working with Janelle to combine the food and service pieces beautifully,\u201d says Davies
\u201cThe whole philosophy that [Achatz] has created at Alinea is based on change.\u201dHero image courtesy of Alinea
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Chicago’s radical and pioneering temple of progressive cuisine
renowned the world over for chef Grant Achatz’s advanced cookery philosophies which have earned the place three shining Michelin stars for the last seven years
Alinea’s fall tasting menu includes a magically translucent slice of pumpkin pie that tastes exactly like the real thing
Executive chef Mike Bagale and chef de cuisine Simon Davies are behind Alinea’s newest dessert course
made from a distillation of pumpkin pie set in gelatin that’s then poured into a traditional pie crust
which joins other curious seasonal constructions like an exploding
spiced orange juice sphere that’s coated in a saffron-curry shell and served beside a caramelized cabbage sandwich
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
“I wanted to do a distillation of pumpkin pie because it’s very technical and thought-provoking,” Bagale explains. “I wasn’t sure how I wanted to serve the distillation, and Simon suggested setting it in a pie crust.” He continues, “What’s cool about the dish is the juxtaposition between modern technique coupled with very classic technique, and when you taste it you get to appreciate the qualities of both.”
Today, Bagale and Davies continue to execute Achatz’s forward-thinking vision of a restaurant that presents more than just food on a plate. To make their translucent pumpkin pie, Bagale creates a heavily spiced traditional pumpkin pie filling, blends it with water, and then pours that liquid into a rotary evaporator, a device that distills liquids. He explains his process:
No stranger to rotary evaporators, Alinea has offered myriad distillation dishes in the past, from distilled clear chocolate sorbet served on a block of hand-chipped ice, to a distilled Butterfinger candy bar. For those desperate to impress family members at Thanksgiving—and with over $1,000 to spend on a rotary evaporator—here’s how to make Alinea’s take on pumpkin pie:
315 grams all-purpose flour, divided3 grams salt227 grams cold butter, diced58 grams cold water, cold
Remove the dough from the mixer and cover it in plastic wrap; refrigerate at least on hour.
Preheat over to 350°F. Prepare 12 4-inch round mini tart molds. Remove the dough from the fridge. Using two pieces of parchment paper, roll the dough out until it’s just over a centimeter in thickness.
Using a knife, cut dough into circles about 1-inch in diameter larger than the tart molds. Press dough into tart molds. Cook pie crusts for 20 minutes, rotating halfway through.
1600 grams cooked pumpkin10 grams ginger powder6 grams ground cinnamon4 grams ground clove400 grams sweetened condensed milk224 grams sugar12 grams salt10 gelatin sheets
Distill a base of cooked pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon, clove and condensed milk in a rotary evaporator. Then, reserve 1000 grams of the distillate and add the sugar and salt. Season to taste. Bloom the gelatin into the base while it’s cold. Transfer mixture to metal mixing bowl and gently heat over a pot of hot water to melt the gelatin. The mixture should not become hot.
Pour gelatin mixture into tart shells and refrigerate until set.
To serve, remove mini pies from fridge and let them sit at room temperature to temper for 10 minutes to soften the gelatin. Cut each pie into six pieces and top each with segment with whipped cream.
Whipped Cream300 grams heavy cream60 grams confectioners sugar2.5 grams vanilla extract
Add all ingredients to a stand mixer and whip on high until medium to stiff peaks form, about 1 minute.
It was for a special event held at New York's Chefs Club
Alinea chef Mike Bagale and his team brought their culinary mastery to New York
giving diners a one-of-a-kind experience at Chefs Club
The 17 course menu features a number of Asian ingredients like yuzu and shisho showcased in unexpected ways
SHISO INFUSED LONDON DRY GINDry Curaçao Ancienne Methode
Watch 60 Second Tasting Menu on YouTube | Subscribe to Eater on YouTube
Project-based learning at School of Medical Biology develops within the project entitled “Development of efficient technologies of grain disinfection”
a young researcher from India – postdoc Bagale Uday Dasharath – has started his research within implementation of Project 5-100 at SUSU
At the International Laboratory for Synthesis and Analysis of Food Ingredients
the young scientist is going to work on research in the sphere of encapsulation of biologically active components for food production
In an interview with Bagale Uday Dasharath
SUSU’s Vice-Rector for International Relations Olga Yaroshenko
Professor Irina Potoroko and the postdoc’s co-researcher Artem Malinin
we discussed the exposure of ultrasound on food products
participation of the young postdoc researcher in one of the key projects of the university
interaction of the postdoc with master’s degree students
specificity of postdocs’ admissions to the university
– I got bachelor’s degree at North Maharashtra University (Jalgaon
I defended my master’s thesis on Paints and Polymers
I got a PHD degree in Chemical Engineering at National Institute of Technology in Warangal (India) under supervision of Doctor Shirish Sonawane
– What is your sphere of expertise nowadays
I am working on development of polymers and emulsions for various types of coatings
The effect of encapsulation in a substance occurs due to intensification of processes of ultrasonic exposure (the effect of ultrasonic cavitation)
The main goal of my research at South Ural State University’s Laboratory is to develop new approaches for obtaining food products of directed effect
We are working on invention of a film made of biodegradable material based on nanoemulsion for delivery of substances via an encapsulated shell
– Are you planning on any joint publications on the project
and we already have a number of joint publications with affiliation of SUSU
indexed in such international databases as Scopus and Web of Science
They are two articles in a journal called Ultrasonic Sonochemistry
I have publications on the topic of my research connected with sonochemistry in such authoritative scientific journals as Protection of Metal & Physical Surface Chemistry (Springer) and Green Processing Synthesis (De Gruyter)
three more articles on the topic of our joint research have already been sent to Chemical Bioresources and Bioprocessing Journal (Springer) and to an authoritative journal called Powder Technology (Elsevier)
The experience of involvement of postdoc scientists into research has already proved itself at SUSU
Involvement of postdocs promotes exchange of scientific and practical experience as well as promotion of recognizability of scientific schools at the international level
SUSU Vice-Rector for International Relations
– Attracting young postdoc scientists is one of the key objectives of the university within implementation of the programme for competitiveness enhancement called Project 5-100
Inviting postdocs from leading universities of the world allows the university to significantly improve its rates of publication activity
stay up-to-date with trends relevant for contemporary science
and enhance competitive ability of the university
who have already got experience of working in authoritative laboratories
can pass on the priceless experience to our scientists as well as share their research skills and ideas
the issue of attracting young researchers who has got experience of working in leading universities in Russia and abroad to the university is responsibility of the International Research Collaboration
We are always happy to provide any type of assistance to our newly-come colleagues: we supervise the process of documents’ execution and provide mentorship within the entire period of their staying at the university
leader of the project entitled “Development of efficient technologies of grain disinfection’ Doctor of Sciences (Engineering)
researches connected with encapsulation of bioactive compounds for pharmaceutical sphere have been actively carried out all over the world
A significantly lesser number of research is connected with application of such approaches in food technology
we are planning to carry out a research dedicated to development
design and production of systems of nanodelivery and interaction of nano-encapsulated biologically active compounds with food products at the International Laboratory for Synthesis and Analysis of Food Ingredients
We started remote cooperation with Bagale Uday Dasharath in 2016
Together with other postgraduate students supervised by Shirish Sonawane
Bagale reported his research inquiries to us at a meeting held at the University in India
When we elaborated the encapsulation programme
he got in the list of young researchers who competed against each other on many parameters in order to get recruited as a researcher to SUSU Laboratory and conduct research on this topic
it was precisely Bagale Uday Dasharath whom we have chosen as a candidate for the position as a postdoc
The direction of research in our cooperative work is connected with the possibility to use vector delivery of biologically active substances by the method of encapsulation
this research area is very perspective as it is targeted at minimizing the risks of occurrence of non-infectious diseases in the course of oxidative stress
we and our new postdoc are going to work in two directions: formation of flavour of the new products
and development of systems for delivery of biologically active substances in corresponding systems of human body
We discussed the topic of joint research beforehand
and now in the process of experimenting we will try to find out
how exactly the encapsulated biologically active substances are going to build-in into the food matrix
The postdoc’s co-researcher at the university is master’s degree student of a project-based learning group of specialty 19.04.01 Biotechnology
– Together with Bagale Uday Dasharath from the Warangal University we are planning to continue applied research on our project within the sphere of agrobiotechnology
specifically the research dedicated to specificity of sprouting
disinfection and conversion of wheat and other grain crops
Now I am actively working on the topic of deep conversion of grains
connected with the technology of starches extraction and their further modification
Within the subject of our research is possible development of ecologically pure materials on the basis of products obtained after deep conversion of grains
Nowadays we are at the very beginning of research concerning conversion of starches with the use of ultrasonic exposure
Among our goals is development of bioplastic materials on the basis of starch
which could replace polymers in the future
We are researching a whole complex of grain crops: wheat
we started researching the effect of ultrasound on gum arabic
Bagale Uday Dasharath’s experience is very valuable in our joint work
I think that the cooperation will be mutually beneficial; all of us will learn something new
and as a result we will be able to compete with other scientists’ research works in this sphere
Bagale is only beginning to work at the Laboratory; he is gradually getting familiar with the university
getting involved into the joint activity and into the common environment
We have already visited the celebration of the Student Day in the main building
but I like it here so far: the accommodation conditions
but the cold gets compensated with new experience
It is very interesting to work here; I am surrounded with friendly people who are always ready to help
I think that Sonochemistry is the science of the future; I see a lot of potential in this science and I am sure that our current joint researches at SUSU’s Laboratory for Synthesis and Analysis of Food Ingredients will bring us to new significant scientific results
Thanks to research in the sphere of encapsulation of biologically active substances and obtainment of ecologically pure products with new properties
we will be able to fight environmental pollution and improve the quality of people’s life
Please refer to http://susu.ru/ when you use information from this site
Executive chef Mike Bagale’s replacement created the clear pumpkin pie
There was a big change this holiday weekend at Chicago’s Alinea, the city’s only three-Michelin-starred restaurant. Mike Bagale has announced his departure from the restaurant after almost six years as executive chef. He broke the news Sunday morning via his Instagram account
Bagale congratulated Alinea chef de cuisine Simon Davies in that Instagram post
and Alinea’s Nick Kokonas confirmed that Davies
who’s been at Alinea for nine years and started as a 19-year-old intern
“Mike is awesome and leaves on the best possible terms with the Alinea Group,” Kokonas wrote via email on Sunday
he’s crushed it on behalf of our team and is a world-class chef in every respect.”
Bagale was Achatz’s right-hand man at Alinea
writing that Achatz “taught me ‘the push’ which can best be defined as ‘the act of giving everything you have to the pursuit of a common goal.’ That is the lesson that I will carry with me forever.”
Davies congratulated Bagale in his own Instagram post in which commenters offered their own congrats to Davies on this own job. Davies’ contributions to the molecular gastronomy pioneer include a clear pumpkin pie that drew heavy media coverage during last Thanksgiving
Clear pumpkin pie by @simon.a.davies #holidays #pumpkinpie
A post shared by Grant Achatz (@grant_achatz) on Oct 21
He’ll have more info on his Instagram on future pop-ups
Read Bagale’s full post detailing his departure below:
A post shared by M I K E B A G A L E (@mikebagale) on May 27
A honeybee collects pollen from the manuka bush flower
With all due respect to sauvignon blanc drinkers
New Zealand’s trendiest liquid export is something far sweeter than wine
Derived from the nectar of a native bush (leptospermum scoparium)
manuka honey has stirred enthusiasm among health-conscious connoisseurs since the early ’80s
when a local scientist first confirmed that it possesses unique
the on-trend sweetener is finding mainstream appeal in the United States as a slightly more savory alternative to its domestic counterparts
The manuka industry was shipping around $40 million worth of honey a decade ago
and by 2017 that number had swelled to $270 million
The western species of bee necessary for commercial honey production
the colony-building insects weren’t introduced to the Southern Hemisphere until 1839
along with the subsequent development of an entire industry
is owed to the fastidious stewardship of Mary Bumby—an English beekeeper and sister of a Methodist missionary
“She managed to keep alive her two skeps [woven baskets] of honey bees on a six-month voyage all the way from England,” explains Cliff Von Eaton
author of Manuka: The Biography of an Extraordinary Honey
since skep beehives are much more difficult to maintain and keep alive than hives in the movable frame equipment we know today.”
Bumby established her apiary in the low-lying fields surrounding the mission
along the eastern shore of the North Island
that the first honey produced in New Zealand was of the manuka variety
According to Von Eaton’s historical records
it may have been served at the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in February of 1840—which established relations between Western settlers and the native Maori tribes
Manuka honey company Comvita manages 40,000 hives
manuka honey failed to gain notoriety over the subsequent century
the product was ignored in favor of wildflower-derived alternatives
An international market failed to materialize
Peter Molan—a noted New Zealand biochemist—confirmed the antibacterial properties unique to the nectar produced from this particular plant
(Its healing properties had already been known in traditional Maori medicine.)
“All honey produces hydrogen peroxide when diluted,” says Von Eaton
also contains those extra substances that allow it to kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria commonly found in chronic wounds
bed sores and leg ulcers.” Because this characteristic is quantifiable
a certifying group was soon set up to measure what became known as “Unique Manuka Factor.” Today
“UMF” is a prominent trademark on many a manuka label
not unlike the SPF rating you read on sunscreen lotion bottles
sterilized manuka honey consists of manuka with a 10+ [certified UMF] or higher rating,” explains Scott Coulter
the popular brand that helped pioneer the labeling standard
“It contains the compounds that provide manuka’s unique topical support for wound healing
Although domestic demand was soaring—along with pricing—manuka honey didn’t become an international sensation until 1991. Bill Floyd, a marketing specialist hired by the National Beekeepers’ Association of New Zealand, coined the term UMF and advertised it to U.S
when alternative health and wellness routines were finding fashion
It’s been something of a cult commodity in the States ever since
The country’s most talented chefs are also doing their part to showcase the honey’s singular flavor and texture profile
“I am especially keen on it because it has somewhat of a creamier
and it’s also easy to whip,” notes Mike Bagale
Running one of the most experimental kitchens in the country
he rendered manuka honey into an artful meringue
The sweet and savory dessert featured the honey in freeze-dried form
Although his preparation highlights manuka’s slightly earthy
Bagale was initially drawn in by its holistic benefits
“Manuka is a versatile sugar substitute that’s lower on the glycemic index,” he says
“It won’t spike your blood sugar levels immediately in the way white sugar does.”
biochemist Peter Molan confirmed manuka honey’s unique antibacterial properties
manuka’s influence is now ubiquitous—particularly in the urban hub of Auckland
Coffee shops and cocktail bars are working it into full-flavored recipes
But its heightened visibility has led to some unintended controversy: Australian producers have been trying to cash in on the trend and a battle is underway over who can own the term
“Both the UK Trade Mark Registry and the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand decided the term ‘manuka’ is a Maori word,” Coulter says
“Just like champagne—which can only be recognized as from a certain area of France—manuka honey can only come from New Zealand.”
the world’s most sought-after sweetener: all out of Mary Bumby’s two handwoven bee baskets in the early 19th century
it’s likely she never could have envisioned a story so sweet
incorporating manuka into dozens of forms of freshly prepared food and drink
>>Next: The AFAR Guide to Auckland
AFAR participates in affiliate marketing programs
which means we may earn a commission if you purchase an item featured on our site.© 2025 AFAR LLC
Bagale belongs to the culinary think tank behind one of the most innovative—and disciplined—kitchens in the world
(His latest creation: a floating green-apple taffy balloon filled with helium.) Outside Alinea
high-energy guy—the kind who runs up to ten miles a day and catches back-to-back redeyes for two-day surfing trips
In the market for: A no-drama woman who doesn’t obsess over trends—or what other people think
“I like girls who are headstrong,” he says
He studied filmmaking at Ryerson University in Toronto
Chicago magazine newsletters have you covered
With only 10 years in the business of stringed instruments, Marshall's Northfield Mandolins is relatively new to the new game
But by taking an approach of working internationally
and literally working around the clock -- 24 hours a day -- Northfield is already making a name for itself around the globe
it’s easy to miss Northfield's small office
But once you find the Northfield logo on a small door and walk inside
Northfield co-founder Adrian Bagale strums a traditional bluegrass tune on a brand new mandolin
fashioned like the ones Gibson made back in the 1920s
workers sand and lather unfinished mandolins that’ll eventually fetch up to $6,000 a piece
Bagale says Northfield is known across the bluegrass world
A lot of that ignorance is because while Northfield may be based in Marshall
Half of the Northfield team is based thousands of miles away, in a workshop in Qingdao, China
The team includes workshop founder Kosuke Kyomori and team leader Xi Sheng Zhang
there is someone working on a Northfield Mandolin nearly 24 hours a day.
"They don’t really understand this is a tiny thing
but it has an international footprint," Bagale says
"So this really is an international company sitting in the middle of this tiny town."
So how did this international company wind up here
He started working with guitars in Michigan
but moved to the West Coast and eventually China
he worked for a guitar company designing high-quality mandolins
the work for him and his small team of woodworkers and engineers got to be too much
But seeing the quality of work they were making
Bagale's team didn't want it to end.
we just spent three years trying to make this happen," Bagale recalls his team telling him
with the goal of making the best mandolins they could
influenced by the Gibson brands of the 1920s
now spread across the globe. Bagale says by the time Northfield had produced its first 30 mandolins
you still need a little luck to get your product sold. For Northfield
that came at a conference in Nashville back in 2009
The company brought eight mandolins there – the first eight it had ever put up for sale
But that giveaway changed the future of the company. The man who won the instrument? He was a student of Adam Steffey. That’s 5-time Grammy award-winning mandolin player Adam Steffey
So this student showed Steffey the mandolin
Steffey called Northfield to get one for himself
"[Steffey] emailed me first," Bagale recalls
And I immediately copied and pasted his email into Google to make sure it was that Adam Steffey
I was flying down to Nashville with two mandolins
it’s been like holding on to a rocket ship," Bagale continues
We immediately sold out for the whole year
Northfield has already seen huge expansion
The company went from selling 40 mandolins in 2010 to selling 150 last year
the goal is 200 -- to dealers around the world
Northfield woodworker Derek Smith picks away on the band’s newest mandolin
the best thing we’ve ever made by far!" Smith says
strumming and listening carefully to the punchy sound
but there’s a tonal and a projection and a liveliness and a power coming out of this thing!"
This is the kind of moment that the workers at Northfield strive for
And they say it's the result of the company constantly taking risks. With every single instrument
the company documents everything -- new materials
Bagale says this experimentation can lead to a few duds
it leads to something like this -- a unique
He says the company will likely only be making more
especially as bluegrass keeps growing around the globe
we feel like we’re in the right place and right time to be able to put our foot to the gas and do it and produce," Bagale says
"And we don’t have to make a ton to make this really fun
challenging and hopefully potentially profitable."
"We wouldn’t be making mandolins if that was on our mind."
Within Project 5-100 SUSU is fulfilling a program of enhancing the university's competitiveness on the global stage
Under the program on attracting young scientists
who is a senior research fellow at the Department of Food Technology and Biotechnology
has joined the team of the SUSU Synthesis and Analysis of Food Ingredients Laboratory
Currently he is working on stabilizing a nanoemulsion filled with biologically active curcumine
for further use in production of healthy food
which is one of subdivisions of South Ural State University
is actively developing international collaboration in science
Within the fulfilment of Project 5-100 the Synthesis and Analysis of Food Ingredients International Laboratory was opened
which is headed by Doctor Shirish Sonawane and Doctor of Sciences (Engineering)
The laboratory's task comprise solving of problems in the field of developing new technologies of food biopolymers synthesis through exposure to ultrasound
and using them to create modified forms of food systems
“I obtained my Bachelor's degree at North Maharashtra University
This university holds the 59th place in the ranking of the universities of India
Early in my career I was working in a polymers producing company
and in particular I was conducting developments aimed at creating new chemical colorants,” shares Doctor Bagale Uday Dasharath
In 2014 Bagale Uday Dasharath was awarded his Master's degree in Colourings and Polymers
in Chemical Engineering at National Institute of Technology
with the prominent scientist Doctor Shirish Sonawane acting as his academic adviser
Later Doctor Bagale Uday Dasharath worked on creating environmentally-friendly biodegradable packaging materials jointly with professors from Tunisia
In 2016 he began collaborating with South Ural State University
and this young scientist decided to change the field of his research
The rates of growth of the world's industry of healthy nutrition match those of the food industry development
Among the relevant tasks are increasing the physiological value of food ingredients used to produce food
as well as saturating those with nutritious microelements
Using food ingredients with enhanced properties will allow to ensure production of health food and meet the consumers' expectations
The scientists from South Ural State University
jointly with their international colleagues
“The main goal of our joint project is to create a nanoemulsion
which could be a food product in and of itself
thus allowing to increase the nutrition value of products
We're working on stabilizing a curcumine-based nanoemulsion
Curcumine is known for its good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
If we add the curcumine-based nanoemulsion to such products as bread or dairy beverages
we will not only improve their nutrition value
but will also significantly enhance their properties that are good for health
while at the same time the cost of production will remain the same,” explains Doctor Bagale Uday Dasharath
Among other project goals the scientist named the creation of biodegradable packaging for food products
and noted that they had already achieved some progress in this field
the researchers are considering a possibility of using biopolymers for producing environmentally-friendly wrapping film packaging
Doctor Bagale Uday Dasharath commends the level of equipment of the Synthesis and Analysis of Food Ingredients International Laboratory and the opportunities for research work being offered by South Ural State University
The scientist hopes to work in Russia for as long as possible and expressed his willingness to keep collaborating with his SUSU colleagues after he returns to his home country
“Inviting postdocs allows our university to keep up with the development of trends in modern science
it is crucially important that we attract young researchers
who have already worked in different laboratories in other countries
research skills and ideas with our scientists,” says Head of the International Research Collaboration of the International Office Tatiana Subbotina
Postdosc are being invited to the university within the frameworks of the project of a new “road map” М.2.2.1
South Ural State University is actively developing the system of attracting young scientists
since it acts as a venue for holding open international events
The chefs are shuffling in Grant Achatzville: longtime Alinea chef de cuisine Matthew Chasseur has left the restaurant, and sous chef Mike Bagale will be promoted to take his place. Alinea/Next/The Aviary partner Nick Kokonas tells Eater Chicago that Chasseur "left for personal reasons
not professional ones." After helming the Alinea ship for the last six years
Chasseur explains that he has "chosen to take the next step in [his] life ..
settling down on the east coast and starting a family."
The chef apparently has previously mentioned plans to someday open a restaurant in Boston, but he "declined to elaborate more on his professional plans this time around." For more details and a full statement from Kokonas, head over to Eater Chicago
· Matthew Chasseur Out as Alinea Chef de Cuisine [Eater Chicago]· All Alinea Coverage on Eater [-E-]
About the author: Roots scholar and multi-instrumentalist Michael Eck is a respected songwriter; a member of the Capital Region Thomas Edison Music Hall of Fame; and an award-winning cultural critic and freelance writer
A member of Lost Radio Rounders and Good Things
Eck is a signature artist with Weber Mandolins and Bedell Guitars
After this article was written but shortly before being published
in the spirit of continuous development let us know they were still in the process of making decisions about the octave model
They've opted to wait on posting video and audio until that is resolved
Keep an eye on their website as they roll out more details of this new model
CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal has entered the race for president following proposal by his bête noire CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli to that regard to prevent Nepali Congress (NC) from getting the post
Oli made the offer to Nepal during their meeting at the residence of a Unified Socialist leader in Maharajgunj on Sunday
Nepal met Prime Minister (PM) Pushpa Kamal Dahal at Baluwatar on Monday and solicited the latter’s support to become president pointing that UML will also support him
said the parties should move forward forging consensus
Unified Socialist leaders also met NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba and urged him to help make Nepal president
“I have given words to Ram Chandra Paudel and will make him president,” a Unified Socialist leader quoted Deuba as telling them
The Unified Socialist leader claimed that Oli himself is taking initiative to make Nepal president in recent days
There seems to be three possibilities for Nepal in the current volatile and complex political scenario
The first is becoming president for five years
Talking about the first possibility he can easily become president with support of NC and Maoist Center even if UML does not support him as the three parties together can secure victory in the presidential election
The total weighted votes for the upcoming presidential election is 52,707 including 26,307 for federal lawmakers and 26,400 for provincial lawmakers
The candidate receiving 26,354 weighted votes is elected the president
NC has the largest share of weighted votes at 16,221 followed by UML at 15,233
Maoist Center and Unified Socialist together can easily cross the magical figure of 26,354
who has been criticized in the grand old party for failing to keep the previous coalition intact
seems determined to bring the post of president to the party to save his face inside the party
“There is no chance of us supporting others for president
president and speaker after becoming the largest party,” an NC leader told Setopati
“Why should we participate in power games if the second largest party were to get speaker
NC would rather remain in opposition if all the important posts were to go to other parties
“We can do better by remaining in opposition instead of getting accused of maneuverings for power and then not get any posts
That would even result in political gains in the coming days.”
NC leaders also strongly feel that those who have already become executive PM should not become president
The NC leader also ruled out Deuba becoming president
A person who has already become executive PM becoming president now would not even benefit the institute of president
Politics will also become further tangled.”
The leader claimed that Nepal would ultimately recognize the spirit of the current balance of powers even though he seems elated with aspirations for president now
“It is one thing for him to aspire to become president if Unified Socialist were to merge with UML
That aspiration does not have any grounds or meaning without merger
Another chance for Nepal to become president without NC’s support is with help of UML
Maoist Center and one or more than one other parties
The three parties together can muster 25,456 votes
who has already reached an understanding with NC to give the post of president to the grand old party
would be ready for that considering his unease with Oli
“We want to move together with NC for president as far as possible,” a Maoist leader confided
“A lot of bickering and lack of trust have appeared with UML in such a short period of forging the current ruling coalition
It is not possible now to elect president from this coalition forgetting all that.”
It is mathematically possible for Nepal to become president without support of both NC and Maoist Center
with support of most of the other parties if he were to decide to merge with UML immediately
But that would still be difficult as bringing RSP
Nagarik Unmukti Party—that are all out of the government—looks almost impossible in the current situation
must seek support of Maoist Center to go with that of NC or UML to become president
that wants to compete with UML forming a socialist center after unification with Unified Socialist
does not want Unified Socialist to get cosy with UML
NC also does not want Unified Socialist to unify with UML as its chances of becoming the largest party get difficult if the two parties were to unify
NC and Maoist Center together can offer the post of PM for a short time to placate Nepal in the current situation
Nepal has already said that his party should have some role in power sharing and it would be unfair for others to expect the party to sacrifice its aspirations for the sake of others
Nepal himself had proposed that he be made PM first for a year even as Deuba and Dahal failed to agree on who should become PM first as part of agreement to take turns as PM immediately after the election
A Unified Socialist leader told Setopati that Nepal would agree if NC and Maoist Center were to offer to make him PM for a year even now
Making Nepal PM for a short period looks a better option for the two parties than making him president for five years
have yet to agree over the sharing of the five-year term
NC appears ready to accept Dahal as PM for three years
But Dahal aspires to become PM for four years
The term of Dahal would have to be less than three years if Nepal were also to become PM
Whether Dahal would be ready to make that sacrifice is yet to be known
NC and Maoist Center also have another option of forging a coalition excluding Unified Socialist if they decide to not make Nepal either president or PM
They can secure majority for both president and the government with support of RSP
LSP and Nagarik Unmukti Party—that are currently out of government—and Janamat Party that is unhappy despite being in the government
They can do that even without support of one or even two of those parties
Nepal would not get anything in that scenario and he knows about that possibility
He and his party can be out of the next ruling coalition
Oli may not want to merge Unified Socialist with UML in that scenario
Dahal has not been able to include Unified Socialist in the current government due to opposition by Oli
Oli had even chided JSP Chairman Upendra Yadav for holding dialogue for unification with Unified Socialist and pointed that JSP had not been included in the government due to the party’s proximity with Unified Socialist
can exact revenge on Nepal for splitting UML once he gets distant from NC and Maoist Center after the expediency of presidential election ends
Nepal may even struggle to keep his 10 House of Representatives (HoR) in the party if it is out of government
The intro of Janamat Party’s anthem roughly translates to ‘Son of Madhesh CK Raut will build a fort in Kathmandu’
The song was made when Raut joined peaceful politics in March 2019 giving up his secessionist campaign for Free Madhes accepting Nepal's territorial integrity
The song is popular among the youths of Madhes and the party has been using it extensively in its election campaign
Early election results show that Raut is set to hoist flag in Janakpur if not in Kathmandu
Janamat Party led by Raut leads the Proportional Representation (PR) votes in the provincial assembly of Madhes Province securing 2,644 votes at the time of writing this news report
Nepali Congress (NC) is second with 2,228 followed by CPN-UML at 2,200 and CPN (Maoist Center) 1,238
Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) led by Upendra Yadav
Loktantraik Samajwadi Party (LSP) may struggle to cross the PR threshold even in the province
Counting of votes has just started in the First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) constituencies for the provincial assembly and it will be too early to project about seats to be won by each party
But preliminary results show that Janamat Party will leave other Madhes-based parties behind in the province
NC and UML are leading in eight constituencies each in the FPTP electoral system for 64 provincial assembly constituencies in the province
The new party is doing well even in the PR electoral system for House of Representatives (HoR) securing 5,655 votes at the time of writing this report
It is seventh behind JSP which has secured 6,036
LSP looks unlikely to even cross the three-percent threshold to become national party
Raut looks set to defeat JSP’s Upendra Yadav in the HoR constituency of Saptari-2
Raut defeating Yadav in Madhes has a huge symbolic meaning
Yadav rose as the messiah of Madhes following the Madhes Movement triggered by him torching the Interim Constitution at the Maitighar Mandal just a day after it was promulgated on January 15
2007 as founder of a political advocacy movement named Madhesi Janadhikar Forum
The next Madhes Movement forced Koirala to sign an agreement accepting federalism
Yadav turned his organization into a political party and emerged as the fourth largest party after Maoists
NC and UML following the First Constituent Assembly (CA) Election in 2008
His victory over Yadav shows that the center of Madhes-based politics seems to be shifting toward him
His rise will hit JSP also as Janamat Party seems to be mainly attracting voters from Dalit communities and impoverished people who traditionally vote for JSP
Leaders close to Home Minister and CPN secretariat member Ram Bahadur Thapa have advised him to resign from the Cabinet
has grown close to Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli after becoming minister and had not resigned when seven ministers close to CPN Chairman and former Maoist supremo Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Senior Leader Madhav Kumar Nepal resigned on Sunday leading to speculation that he may have joined the Oli camp
But Thapa did not attend the meeting of Oli's faction at Baluwatar Monday morning and held a separate meeting of his faction in Pulchowk
"We all have told him that we should oppose the step the PM has taken now
We all have unanimously said that we should oppose that," CPN central member Dilip Prajapati said after the meeting
"Thapa comrade said he will take the next step after discussion."
Another central member Lekhnath Neupane said that Thapa has assured to make his position clear by Monday evening holding discussion throughout the day
He will speak against the PM's step by the evening," another leader who attended the meeting claimed
"He has said that he is against the step in principle and called the PM's step regression."
Thapa has a small group that had split along with Mohan Baidya from the then Maoists and later returned to the Maoist party led by Dahal
Pampha Bhusal and Dev Gurung became CPN standing committee member after unification of the Maoists with the then CPN-UML
The group currently has around a dozen federal lawmakers and almost three dozen CPN central committee members
Video footage you don't want to miss ensues
which includes gems like "oh my god—a pile of rocks with a piece of burnt meat in it
The video is right here. >>
CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli's efforts to elect office-bearers by consensus look set to fail despite him proposing to increase the number of office-bearers and central committee with his two lieutenants standing firm on their claims for general secretary
Oli's proposal to raise the number of office-bearers from 15 to 19
and central committee members to 301 from 225 was endorsed by the central committee meeting Friday midnight
The statute last amended in the statute general convention in October will again be amended once the proposal is endorsed by the closed session of the ongoing general convention on Saturday
The central committee meeting has proposed to increase the number of deputy general secretary to three from one and that of vice-chair to seven from five but the number of general secretary will remain one
Deputy general secretary Bishnu Paudel and standing committee member Shankar Pokharel
the second most powerful position in the party
and are standing firm on their claims for the post
Many feel that the person Oli proposes for the post will be his political heir
The party's statute has set a ceiling of 70 years for party leadership
Ashta Laxmi Shakya and others will cross 70 before the next general convention
Paudel and Pokharel will both be under the age limit and whoever will be proposed as general secretary by Oli or gets elected this term—as the party looks to elect office-bearers through consensus—will get a head start in the race to become party chief after the 11th general convention
A central member confided with Setopati that leaders have intensified discussion ahead of the closed session on Saturday but stated that it will be difficult to decide who out of the two will become general secretary
The central member revealed that Secretary Pradeep Gyawali
has also staked claim for general secretary if there is no consensus for the post
A leader close to both Paudel and Pokharel claimed that Oli prefers Pokharel to Paudel and President Bidya Devi Bhandari also wants to make Pokharel general secretary
But Paudel looks likely to win if there is election for the post
Paudel looks set to be backed by Subash Chandra Nembang—who is staking claim for senior vice-chair
and leaders close to him claim that most from the erstwhile Khanal-Nepal faction and ex-Maoists will also back him
will be backed by Ishwar Pokharel—also staking claimi for senior vice-chair
CPN-UML Vice-chairman and Deputy Parliamentary Party Leader Subash Chandra Nembang has called the party's opposition to the citizenship bill normal in democracy
Nembang has also pointed that the process of withdrawing the bill at the House is wrong
He has protested removal of the provision in the report submitted by the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee of the House of Representatives (HoR) that required foreigners marrying Nepali citizens to wait for seven years to get naturalized citizenship
When reminded that the then UML government led by KP Sharma Oli had also tried to remove the seven-year provision
he doesn't provide a clear answer and instead claims that the current opposition is normal in democracy
support and do all things through democratic process
don't want to comment on all these things
I want to say only this much—the question that is raised now
everyone agreed on that question while in the committee
That was moved forward after everyone passed it
He has pointed how parties including UML have worked very hard on the Citizenship Bill
The bill was registered in the HoR on August 7
It was discussed in the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee of the HoR
and the report subsequently submitted to the HoR on June 23
2020 included the provision that requires foreigners marrying Nepali citizens to wait for seven years to get naturalized citizenship
But the current government withdrew the bill and brought a new one
"We have opposed in accordance to the parliamentary process
We believe that presenting a new bill leaving the parliamentary process will not make the parliament strong
We have said that the previous bill could have been sent to the committee and corrected."
He has also claimed that most of the provisions including the non-resident citizenship for those living abroad (outside SAARC countries) were kept by UML
and added that some of the issues that should not have been kept have also been included in the recently passed bill
Prime Minister (PM) and CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal
Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba and CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal have finalized the length of their respective terms as PM
The three leaders finalized the length of their terms after holding a separate meeting in the middle of the coalition’s meeting at Baluwatar Friday night
“The three leaders have agreed that Dahal would serve first followed by Nepal and then Deuba
But they have yet to inform us about the length of their respective terms,” the leader stated
claimed that Dahal would serve first for two and a half years
Nepal for a year and Deuba for the remaining one and a half years and hold the next election
A meeting of eight parties held earlier on Friday decided to support NC candidate in the presidential election to be held on March 9
Rastriya Janamorcha and Nagarik Unmukti Party decided to field the joint presidential candidate from the grand old party
The parties have decided to give the post of vice-president to JSP
Nominations for the presidential election will be held on Saturday
CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal is under pressure for introspection and reform of the party after invalidation of the party's unification with CPN-UML
He has sent questionnaires to the rank and file seeking advice on how the party can be moved forward addressing the rage and despair among the cadres
and imbibing commitment in them to fight for the future
The questionnaires sent through emails mainly focus on four issues
Whether to keep age limit for executive head of the party or not
and what should be the limit if it is kept
Should there be such limits for executive heads in all the committees
or whether there should be different limits
And whether the district committees should be kept as they are or should they be converted into district coordination committees
Dahal has to revitalize the party that came into prominence through the armed insurgency in absence of many of his fellow rebels
Before the Maoist party signed the comprehensive peace agreement
a 35-strong central committee and a six-strong core team to take important decisions immediately
senior leaders Mohan Baidya and Baburam Bhattarai
Bogati is dead but none of the rest is currently with Dahal
The secretariat similarly included Krishna Bahadur Mahara
Barsha Man Pun and Netra Bikram Chand outside the core team
Mahara and Pun out of them are now with Dahal
Baidya and Gajurel are in CPN (Revolutionary Maoist)
and Chand has formed a separate revolutionary party named CPN
15 members of the then 35-strong central committee including Indra Mohan Sigdel
Hemanta Prakash Oli and Gopal Kiranti have also quit the party
retains support of leaders like Narayan Kaji Shrestha
Giriraj Mani Pokharel and Ganesh Sah with a long history in left politics who unified with the Maoist party after it started peaceful politics
Dahal has the challenge of boosting the party's popularity
reinvigorating its organization and also managing financial resources for the party now that it is in power
The monarchy was uprooted on the back of that and achievements like secularism and federalism were made," Maoist Center central member Saral Sahayatri
who has been taking to the social media for reform of the party
"We chose the way to go to power even through maneuvers instead of going to the people to strengthen the organization
We took the support of the bourgeois forgetting the class
We should get back our class to make the party stronger."
Maoist leader and lawmaker Ram Karki concurs
"This party could not be that of capitalists and big businessmen due to the Maoist past
The bourgeois did not trust us which was natural," he concedes
He also blames the haste in Dahal and Bhattarai to go to government despite the party adopting the policy of the main leadership not joining the government for the current fate of the party
He opines that the party should have apologized and expressed commitment to raise the voice of workers and peasants immediately after the unification with UML was invalidated on March 7
The party cannot move forward without new policy and new leadership now."
Many still believe that the party can be made stronger under Dahal's leadership while others believe that organizational reforms alone cannot revive the party
"It would be nice if the recommendations made on the questions asked are implemented
But the party cannot run in the old leadership style," Sahayatri points
"We must now review the decade after 2006 and find conclusion through collective deliberations
Bhattarai went right-wing and Chand became undisciplined will no longer suffice."
He stresses that the general convention should be held as soon as possible and the party run in a system
"There should now be age and term limits in the party
General convention must be held every five years and an individual should not be allowed to lead for more than two terms."
Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) Chairman Upendra Yadav is set to become the parliamentary party leader after being elected to the House of Representatives (HoR) winning the recent by-election held in Bara-2
Yadav is still busy meeting the voters in his constituency to thank them and has informed Speaker Dev Raj Ghimire that he wants to get sworn in on Tuesday
who had lost to Janamat Party Chairman CK Raut in the HoR constituency of Saptari-2 in November 2022
had made his confidant Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav the parliamentary party leader ahead of Federal Council Chairman Ashok Rai
But the post is vacant since Chairman Yadav got the latter elected the vice-president of the country to contest by-election in the vacant constituency of Bara-2
“Who else can claim to become parliamentary party leader ahead of him
He had made Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav the parliamentary party leader for his own interest,” a JSP lawmaker told Setopati
“Deputy parliamentary party leader Naval Kishore Sah is currently leading the parliamentary party after Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav became vice-president
It is almost certain that Chairman Yadav himself will become the parliamentary party leader.”
Another JSP leader stated that whether the party will join the government or not would be decided only after Yadav becomes the parliamentary party leader
“No one other than Yadav knows whether the party will join the government or not
Only he knows who he will send to the government if he does not go himself,” the leader opined
“He had promised the post of minister to many leaders at the time of by-election
It will be difficult to estimate who he will make if he makes one person minister.”
Ashok Rai is education minister representing JSP in the current government
Yadav has not sent anyone to oversee the Ministry of Forests and Environment that has been allocated to the party
Yadav has become minister thrice until now
He had led the party in the Cabinet whenever the party joined the government except when Sher Bahadur Deuba became prime minister as per the Supreme Court order in July 2021
Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) leader Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav has been elected vice-president on Friday
The 52-year-old who was elected to the House of Representatives (HoR) from Bara-2 has become the third vice-president of Nepal
He had started his professional career as a teacher in 1991 and was affiliated with Nepal Sadbhawana Party
He was also affiliated in 2002 with the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum
Nepal—which was essentially a non-governmental organization founded by Upendra Yadav and not a political party
He became central member and Bara head of Forum the next year while continuing his affiliation with Sadbhawana as people active with other parties could also join Forum
He had participated in the Jana Andolan II of 2006 while working as teacher and then quit Nepal Sadbhawana Party after the Jana Andolan II
He taught at the Padam Devi Kanya Madhyamik Vidyalaya in Kalaiya
Bara for 17 years before starting active politics with Forum in March 2008
He was elected to the First Constituent Assembly in 2008 through the Proportional Representation (PR) electoral system
He was also in the PR list in the Second CA Election held in 2013
but was not made lawmaker by the party that had suffered multiple splits by then and seen a massive drop in PR votes
Upendra Yadav had urged him to remain in the PR list even in the general election in 2017 but he refused and was elected from Bara-2 through the First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) electoral system
and comes from a family with humble financial background
Many were worried how he would manage election expenses while contesting the election in 2017
“Party Chairman Yadav had assured me that he would pick me as a lawmaker even if the party were to get only one seat through the PR electoral system,” he tells Setopati
“I was even asked to contest the provincial election with promise to make me chief minister
Chairman said he would support me no matter which constituency I would choose after I insisted that I would contest for federal lawmaker.”
He was again elected from the same constituency in the recent general election
who became forest minister for nine months after the election in 2017
is considered to be a leader with a clean image and impeccable integrity in the party
He still stays in the same modest rented apartment in Shankhamul
Kathmandu where he had stayed after being elected CA member in 2008
His bedroom does not even have a bed and he sleeps on the floor in a room in the rented apartment
“The rent was Rs 7,000 (per month) then,” he quips
“It has now risen to Rs 22,000.”
He does not own a private vehicle and reaches the Parliament Building in New Baneshwore and the party office at Bal Kumari by foot
His wife Champa Devi Yadav still lives in Kalaiya while his two sons and a daughter live in Kathmandu
“My wife likes to rear cows-buffaloes,” he reveals
“I also went to rear cattle with her after the First CA was dissolved
We come from a farmer family and it is difficult to quit farming
We currently have only one cow as we are trying to build a small home.”
He is a confidant of Upendra Yadav and has never left the party chief since joining Forum in 2002 despite multiple splits in the party
He is among just four of the 25 listed central members while registering Forum as a political party with the Election Commission before the First CA Election
Mohammad Ishtiyaq Rai and Ram Bilas Yadav are the other three.)
He was made general secretary of the party by Upendra Yadav in 2009 and remained in the post for 12 years despite the party changing its name multiple times following a series of splits and unifications
He has been an executive member since the party formed after unification of the then Federal Socialist Forum Nepal and Rastriya Janata Party decided to keep only two chairmen as office-bearers
one of the only four Forum central members currently in JSP
calls Yadav a modest leader of Nepali politics and jokes that he and other leaders call him a ‘cow-leader’ as he is as gentle as a cow
“Everyone recognizes him as a leader with clean and modest image
He is a leader who never goes beyond the party and party’s thinking
He remained in the party through a series of highs and lows for the party,” Rai effuses
“Such persons don’t join politics and would not last even if they join
They don’t become successful even if they last
This has raised enthusiasm in the party cadres
Sent a message that even a simple leader would be recognized in politics.”
who was also close to Upendra Yadav in the past
has a slightly different take on his election as vice-president and points that he has been made so for a purpose
Sharma accepts that Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav is a very simple leader who would not harm anyone and deserves to become vice-president but accuses that he has been made vice-president to serve Upendra Yadav’s interest
who lost to Janamat Party Chairman CK Raut in the House of Representatives (HoR) constituency of Saptari-2
wants to contest the by-election from Bara-2 that will be vacant after Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav assumes office as vice-president
Sharma contends that Upendra Yadav picked Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav as the parliamentary party leader despite interest by Federal Council Chairman Ashok Rai as Upendra Yadav wanted to become parliamentary leader after winning the by-election as Rai would not have readily agreed to step down
who was one of the founding leaders of Madhesi Janadhikar Forum
goes further than Sharma and refuses to even call Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav an honest leader
“A man with conscience would speak against wrongs even if that is not to the liking of anyone
He never spoke against Upendra Yadav’s wishes
He has got this opportunity as he fulfills Upendra Yadav’s wishes without ever questioning Upendra Yadav,” Gupta stresses
“There was no reason to send a directly elected lawmaker there
Upendra Yadav saw a safe seat in Bara-2 to go to the House
sent him there to fulfill his wishes.”
The meeting between CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and Senior Leader Madhav Kumar Nepal reportedly set for Thursday has yet to be scheduled
Deputy parliamentary party leader and Oli's confidant Subas Chandra Nembang on Thursday stated that the two top leaders will meet Thursday or Friday at the latest
Leaders close to Nepal also confirmed that
Nepal is said to be angry at the expression of Oli on Thursday
I have pardoned you," Oli announced without taking name of the faction or any leader while addressing a program organized at Tulsi Lal Amatya Academy premises in Chyasal
Lalitpur on Thursday to mark Pushpa Lal Memorial Day
Addressing another program at the same venue the next day Nepal took a swipe at Oli alleging he announced blanket pardon for the Khanal-Nepal faction like a king
"King delivered an order yesterday saying honorable members including Madhav Nepal will be pardoned
Should we laugh in elation on being pardoned?" Nepal said
"Would his height have been down had he said it was wrong to seek explanation and he has taken that back
Talking to reporters after the program Nepal pointed that reaching agreement is not as easy as it is said to be
A leader close to Nepal told Setopati that Oli still doesn't want to correct himself
"It has not moved forward from the place it was a few days back
There is no chance of the two leaders meeting even today
We will have internal discussion among ourselves
We may also have informal discussion with leaders from the Oli camp."
Nepal is said to have vented his ire over Oli's statement with his confidants
He made an announcement in the style of a king as if pardoning a criminal," another leader close to Nepal said
"It seemed like that of a master and a slave
Discussions are being held a bit in informal manner
It doesn't seem the two leaders will meet any time soon."
confided that Oli is angry with Nepal's recent coziness with the ruling coalition and Prime Minister (PM) Sher Bahadur Deuba and especially the meeting at Baluwatar on Saturday
An then Nepal attends coalition meeting when we are close to arranging one
Oli is fuming saying he went out of Baluwatar (when Oli was PM) on 10 occasions to meet Nepal but Nepal refused to come to Baluwatar even once," a standing committee member close to Oli told Setopati pointing how Nepal has met Deuba at the latter's residence in Budhanilkantha and Baluwatar in the intervening period
"We don't know when the meeting will be held
The task force formed for resolving dispute in UML reached a 10-point agreement on July 11 but Nepal has yet to accept it
The Khanal-Nepal faction says the deal should be implemented after agreement between Oli and Nepal but Oli unilaterally endorsed the deal and dissolved the task force
Nepal's confidants say he is looking for deal even in power sharing inside the party demanding decisions be taken on consensus
Senior leader of Loktantrik Samajwadi Party (LSP) Rajendra Mahato is preparing to contest the by-election in the House of Representatives constituency of Bara-2 on April 23
Mahato has already started preparations to contest the by-election
Mahato had lost to Nepal Samajwadi Party’s Mahindra Raya Yadav
who had contested the election on CPN (Maoist Center)’s election symbol
Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) Chairman Upendra Yadav is almost certain to fight the by-election in Bara-2
Mahato said that he is facing pressure from the party and cadres to become a candidate as nobody else is capable of defeating Yadav
“I’ve not made a final decision on filing candidacy yet
But there’s pressure to become a candidate,” Mahato told Setopati
Janamat Party Chairman CK Raut decided to field Shiva Chandra Kushwaha against Upendra Yadav in the by-election
Kushwaha has quit Maoist Center and joined Janamat Party to contest the by-election
Kushwaha had lost to Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav of JSP by a small margin in Bara-2 in the November 20 election
Kushwaha had secured 13,823 votes and lost to Yadav by just 355 votes
Kushwaha had the support of Nepali Congress (NC)
CPN (Unified Socialist) and LSP while JSP was supported by UML after Upendra Yadav quit the then ruling coalition just before filing of nominations due to differences over sharing of seats and allied with UML
A by-election is scheduled to be held in the constituency on April 23 as the seat has fallen vacant after Yadav’s election as vice-president
Nepali Congress (NC) senior leader Ram Chandra Paudel has been elected the third president of Nepal
Rastriya Janamorcha and Nagarik Unmukti Party has defeated CPN-UML Vice-chairman Subash Chandra Nembang in the election held Thursday
Paudel secured a total of 33,802 weighted votes
He got 16,906 weighted votes from the federal lawmakers and 16,896 from the provincial ones
He got 7,742 from the center and 7,776 from the provinces
Amrita Sharma said that 313 federal lawmakers and 518 provincial lawmakers cast their votes in the election
32 provincial assembly members – 28 from Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP)
three from Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP)
and one from Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) – abstained from voting
There are 275 House of Representatives members and 59 National Assembly members
14 lawmakers from RPP and Prem Suwal of NWPP remained neutral
Nepali Congress lawmaker Chandra Bhandari and CPN (Maoist Center) lawmaker Barsha Man Pun could not vote as they are undergoing treatment
CPN-UML lawmaker Laxmi Koiri is absconding while JSP lawmaker Shahnaz Rahman died recently
The voting was held from 10 AM to 3 PM Thursday
The 334 federal lawmakers including 275 House of Representatives (HoR) members and 59 National Assembly (NA) members are given weightage of 79 for each vote while the 550 provincial lawmakers are given weightage of 48
The weightage of each federal lawmaker is calculated by dividing the total population of the country (as per 2011 Census) by the total number of lawmakers (334) and dividing that number by 1,000
The weightage of each provincial lawmaker is also calculated similarly replacing the total number of federal lawmakers with that of provincial lawmakers (550)
The total weighted votes for the presidential election were 52,707 including 26,307 for federal lawmakers and 26,400 for provincial lawmakers
The winning candidate must receive at least 26,354 weighted votes
The announcement of candidacy by CPN-UML Vice-chairman Bhim Rawal for party chair in the upcoming general convention has virtually ended any chance of electing office-bearers through consensus
Party leaders were earlier anticipating that party chair and all office-bearers will be chosen in consensus and election will be held only for central members
But all that has ended after Rawal announced candidacy on Sunday
Rawal is highly unlikely to beat current Chairman KP Sharma Oli in the election but he will end any chance of consensus even for the rest of office-bearers if he does not withdraw his candidacy for party leadership as Oli may not try for consensus for other office-bearers if there is no consensus for party chair
Oli may struggle to accommodate leaders close to him and managing the leaders from the erstwhile Khanal-Nepal faction of the party and those who have joined from CPN (Maoist Center) will compound matters for him
The recent statute general convention had amended the statute keeping provision of 15 office-bearers
Informal discussion has even started to increase the number but many are saying that amending the provision less than two months after the statute general convention will not send a right message about maturity of the party
Standing committee member and Oli's confidant Shankar Pokharel says efforts will be made for consensus but election should be taken normally if that is not possible
"The leadership will have to be wise if there is consensus and the cadres will have to use wisdom if there is election," he quips
Another confidant of Oli Gokul Baskota says Oli will not seek vote or even hint about his support for any candidate if there is election for office-bearers
There are many aspirants for the limited number of office-bearers
Many estimated that Ishwar Pokharel would be unanimously elected for the second-ranked post of senior vice-chair but Subash Chandra Nembang may challenge Pokharel
Nembang has not spoken publicly about his claim like Pokharel has
but the former has already started consultation about the issue with his confidants
Oli may himself struggle to decide whether he should support his confidant Nembang or Pokharel
There are also multiple claimants for four other vice-chairs
who ditched Madhav Kumar Nepal to remain in UML
and former Maoist leader Ram Bahadur Thapa as vice-chairs if there is consensus
He also wants one of the two aspirants for general secretary—Bishnu Paudel and Shankar Pokharel—to be made vice-chair
another leader from the erstwhile Khanal-Nepal faction
Raghuji Panta and a few others also aspire for the post of vice-chair
Current Secretary Gokarna Bista is preparing to contest for vice-chair or deputy general secretary if he is not repeated as secretary in consensus
There will be election even for vice-chair in that situation
The most closely watched post in the upcoming general convention is that of general secretary
Paudel and Shankar Pokharel are the strongest contenders for the post while Prithvi Subba Gurung is also in the race
Pandey also considers himself to be a contender for general secretary
A standing committee member confides that Paudel and Pokharel will not contest for the same post
"The situation until now shows there will be election for all office-bearers including party chair
But one cannot say what will happen in the last hour," the standing committee member adds
"Oli himself will stop Paudel and Pokharel from contesting for the same post irrespective of who contests for which post."
Bista and Pradeep Gyawali both have claims for the solitary post of deputy general secretary
The number of aspirants will rise if there will be election
There will be still more aspirants for the seven posts of secretary below deputy general secretary
Gurung and Gyawali among the current secretaries are aspiring for a higher post this time
Bishnu Rimal and Raghbir Mahaseth are also vying for the post while former Maoist leaders Lekh Raj Bhatta
Top Bahadur Rayamajhi and Prabhu Sah also aspire for the post
Current central members Bhanubhakta Dhakal
Binda Pandey and Padma Aryal also aspire for the post as do Oli's confidants Baskota and Mahesh Basnet
Oli will struggle to lobby for any candidate as most of the aspirants are close to him
He also wants to make one former Maoist leader secretary
The party has already passed a policy prohibiting panels of candidates in election and leaders will not be able to formally reveal which candidate they support
This may lead to the majority of aspirants filing candidacy
The Nepal Army has deployed its personnel at Ghantibagar of Darchula
The NA unit has reached there as per the plan of constructing 87 kilometers of road in the northern part of Mahakali corridor
The Cabinet meeting on April 26 had handed over the responsibility of constructing the road to the NA
Ghantibagar is around 30 kilometers below Chhangru where the government recently decided to put a border post of the Armed Police Force
NA Spokesperson Bigyan Dev Pandey said the NA will also build 450 meters of two-meter wide horse trek in Ghantibagar area of Vyas rural municipality in Darchula
"NA has started work due to the tough geographical terrain even though the distance of the trek is short," Pandey stated
"Our team has reached there today for necessary arrangements and security for construction works."
A section plus force of NA has been deployed at Thi near Ghantibagar area at around 11 Thursday morning
according to the Directorate of Public Relation and Information
The NA plans to send another unit on Friday along with the necessary technical human resources for construction and equipment
Around 1,200 persons of 182 households in Chhangru and Tinker village of Vyas-1 in Darchula have to use Indian road even to go to the district headquarter
The NA is going to construct horse trek due to problems for locals to commute owing to a large rock at Mauribhir in Vyas-2
The Nepalis in the area can commute using Nepali land only after completion of the horse trek in the section
Chief political advisor to the Prime Minister (PM) Bishnu Rimal has said the seven remaining secretariat members of ruling CPN have a big role to take a decision on the reports presented by Chairmen KP Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal
The two chairmen have presented separate reports in the secretariat meeting making scathing attacks on each other
"The role of seven remaining secretariat members is paramount after the two separate documents arrived," Rimal told Setopati in a video interview
"The reports may reach the standing committee if the seven also toe the factional line saying one of the two should be finished
We will then discuss it in the standing committee
The secretariat should make efforts to resolve the disputes that arose there itself," Rimal
He rued that PM Oli has been painted a failure even when he has been working for 18 hours a day
There is no room for us to complain about the people who have given us two-third majority," he stated
"It is not that the PM doesn't want to work
We have a PM who works for 18 hours a day right from the morning till late in the night
But our own party has been holding him back
He opined that Dahal must provide an outlet now that Oli has said that Dahal's report is not worth discussing
He pointed that PM has said the language must be changed to move forward in a friendly manner and there is no need for discussion if Dahal opts to go for an all-out war
Oli is in minority in all the party committees and even in the parliamentary party in all likelihood
But his advisor Rimal argued that party unification was done in the spirit of consensus and not on the basis of majority-minority
The two chairmen have resorted to making formal allegations against each other in the secretariat meeting
Oli challenged fellow Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal to legally prove corruption allegations or apologize for the allegations or be ready to face punishment if he doesn't apologize
Oli stated in his response that criminal allegations cannot be discussed politically and said the party should adopt legal way for criminal accusations
He added that the criminal allegations should either be proved or there should be apology on that or Dahal should face punishment for groundless allegations if he doesn't apologize
Oli also accused Dahal of nepotism in his response to Dahal's political proposal that he presented to the secretariat meeting Saturday afternoon
daughter mayor and nephew ambassador is not socialism," Oli's report accuses
Dahal had presented a 19-page proposal with consent of the majority of secretariat members during the secretariat meeting on November 13 criticizing CPN Chairman and Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli and slamming him for failing to properly run both the government and the party
He has also made corruption allegations against Oli in the proposal
Oli has announced end of past agreements and understanding with fellow Dahal after the proposal and those in the Oli camp have been demanding withdrawal of the proposal
Oli demanded time to respond to the political proposal submitted by Dahal during the last secretariat meeting on November 18
He claimed that Dahal's proposal has baselessly made serious allegations against him and he will have to respond to that with preparations
decided to give him 10 days to draft the response
Oli presented his response in the secretariat meeting on November 28 and the secretariat members were given time until today to study both Dahal's proposal and Oli's response
The party has also called standing committee meeting five days later and central committee meeting another seven days later
The ruling party is again facing a grave crisis with Dahal claiming that PM Oli has proposed to split the ruling party even as Oli is in minority in parliamentary party
Nepal and Shrestha have been together in the fight against Oli all the time while Gautam keeps on changing camps
Gautam is angry with Oli now after he was not inducted in the Cabinet in the latest Cabinet reshuffle
have claimed that Dahal has demanded the post of PM
Dahal is reportedly aggrieved about the Karnali dispute
Oli's meeting with Chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) Samant Kumar Goel
murder of a party cadre in Parsa and other issues
Oli and Dahal had signed a five-point agreement at the time of unification of the then CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center) on May 17
The two parties had unified to form CPN the next day on the basis of the five-point agreement
The fourth point of the agreement mentioned that the two chairmen will lead the government as necessary on the basis of equality and equal period
But Dahal had relinquished his claim for the post of PM after the two chairmen signed an agreement on division of responsibilities in presence of President Bidhya Devi Bhandari on November 20
Dahal was made chairman with executive rights
and Oli to continue to be ranked top but Oli had handed over the executive rights to Dahal
Dahal was to lead the party and chair party meetings while Oli would lead the government through the current term of House of Representatives
The party was then on the verge of split with Dahal aggrieved that Oli continues to run even the party unilaterally and the overwhelming majority of members during the last standing committee meeting seeking resignation of PM Oli
The two chairmen then formed a six-strong task force in August to resolve internal dispute in the party
The standing committee meeting then took decision on the basis of the report submitted by the task force that recommended that Oli would serve the full five-year term as PM and Dahal would take the wheel of the party
Dahal was to be fully active in party works but required to consult PM Oli who will remain a sort of ceremonial chairman
PM Oli was required to move the government works forward consulting Dahal
But Oli has unilaterally made appointments of ambassadors and reshuffled Cabinet without endorsement of Dahal since the standing committee decision
The dispute between Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) Chairman Upenda Yadav and Federal Council Chairman Baburam Bhattarai is worsening
The Bhattarai faction has been accusing Yadav of running the party unilaterally pointing that he decided the names of ministers and even about the National Assembly election without discussion in the party
The Bhattarai faction had put a condition that the party should demand for three candidates in the ruling coalition for the National Assembly election
"He agreed for just two candidates on the one hand
And we could not even field candidate in Lumbini where we are stronger than CPN (Unified Socialist)," a leader close to Bhattarai told Setopati
"Our candidate in Province 1 Hem Raj was defeated
Bhattarai had wanted to field Navaraj Subedi
from Lumbini in the National Assembly election
The Bhattarai faction has accused Yadav of trying to unilaterally decide even about the upcmoing local election and has been demanding executive committee meeting but Yadav has been dithering about it
Bhattarai has reportedly mustered up majority in the 35-strong executive committee
A source close to Bhattarai confided with Setopati that the faction will be forced to take a decision if the executive committee meeting is not held
"Party should run on the basis of collective decision
The party needs to convene meeting for that," executive member Mohammad Ishtiyaq Rai told Setopati
"Executive chairman of the party also needs to be picked
claimed that there is no dispute inside the party as rumored outside
He pointed that not just executive chair but even other positions have to be filled and added that executive committee meeting will be called soon
The Yadav faction has accused Bhattarai of trying to create instability by bringing together unhappy leaders
Bhattarai has brought together not just who came from his Naya Shakti Party but even those who were with Yadav and those from RJP who still remain with JSP
Physical Infrastructure Minister and executive member Renu Yadav accepted that there are some internal problems in the party but they are not complex and can be resolevd
"We have given respectable status to Bhattarai despite having just one federal lawmaker
believe there is not much problem even in integration," she pointed
Executive member Navaraj Subedi said that the top leaders will soon resolve the dispute as the party now has to work for the local election
"Problems are not of the unresolvable kind
They will be resolved once the top leaders sit
Dialogue of top leaders has also started."
Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli has instructed lawmakers close to him to be ready to face any eventuality
Meeting over two dozen lawmakers close to him at Baluwatar on Monday
he briefed there is conspiracy to remove him from both the government and party
"Comrades are preparing for a decisive battle
They are preparing to oust me," lawmaker Bijay Subba quoted Oli as saying
"Comrades are planning to resort to vandalism or destruction
You all be mentally prepared for such untoward development
Oli added that the secretariat meeting on Tuesday will settle many issues and it may take another three-four days if not so
The secretariat meeting scheduled for Tuesday has become uncertain
Another lawmaker Mahesh Basnet said Oli rued about efforts to bring him down by those within the party than without
Comrades only oppose," Basnet quoted Oli as saying
"75% of my time has been spent hearing complaints of comrades and trying to make them happy."
Pointing that the government was slammed even during the training programs in provinces
Oli complained he has not been praised despite doing works that the previous PMs could not even think about
He added that rivals in the party are trying to remove him from government and chairmanship of the party instead of giving suggestions to correct his mistakes if any
"I brought ordinances and then took them back when comrades asked me to
They were waging a decisive battle," Subba quoted Oli as saying
Pointing that standing committee members are also openly criticizing the government
Oli warned that there can even be a split in the party
He claimed that plots have been hatched to attack him and President Bidya Devi Bhandari
Commerce and Supplies and CPN standing committee member Lekh Raj Bhatta was also present during the meeting
who was appointed minister on quota of CPN Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal
pledged his allegiance to Oli during the meeting
Internal dynamics in the ruling party is very fluid in recent times with CPN Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal allying to oust Oli from Baluwatar
A majority of standing committee members have urged the two chairman to convene standing committee meeting to review the government's performance
The faction of CPN Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Senior Leader Madhav Kumar Nepal has removed Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli from CPN chairmanship and replaced him with Nepal
The faction's central committee meeting held at Karki Banquet in Babar Mahal Tuesday afternoon has endorsed the decision taken to that regard by the meeting of standing committee members earlier on the day
according to a central committee member of the faction
More than two-third majority of central committee members are attending the central committee meeting according to the signatures at the place of meeting
The faction claims that 315 of the 447 central members attended the meeting
CPN formed after unification of the then CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center) had 447-strong central committee after unification
Oli is in overwhelming minority in the central committee with around 200 members coming from the erstwhile Maoists and almost 100 close to Senior Leader Madhav Kumar Nepal
formed after unification of the then CPN-UML led by Oli and CPN (Maoist Center) by Dahal
Prime Minister (PM) Sher Bahadur Deuba has recommended to make senior advocate Govinda Bandi the law minister
The letter recommending to make Bandi the law minister has already reached the President's Office
"Preparations are on to hold sewaring-in ceremony today itself," the source added
Bandi himself confirmed with Setopati that he will become law minister
"I am becoming minister on behalf of the ruling coalition on recommendation on PM Deuba
I will be sworn in today itself," he stated
who is close to CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal
had played an important role in preparing the 12-point interpretative declaration while ratifying the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact
He was also instrumental in providing legal consultaion before the current government was formed
PM Deuba is using the constitutional provision allowing a non-lawmaker to become minister for six months while appointing Bandi
A Unified Socialist leader claimed with Setopati that Bandi is becoming minister on behalf of the whole coalition and not just the party
Law Minister Dilendra Badu will have to be transferred if Banda takes over the Law Ministry
Badu told Setopati that he has not been informed about the issue until now.