Power peril

The Maoists in Nepal, having held the country to ransom for a decade, are beginning to realise that sharing power might not be such a palatable proposition. Despite having won the largest number of seats in the Constituent Assembly, Maoist chief Prachanda is unable to figure out why there is a growing consensus on current PM G P Koirala to take over as the titular President. The Maoists were keen on their chief becoming the Executive President in a presidential form of democracy. But when that did not work out, Prachanda, insiders say, began to believe that India had something to do with it. So when he met the Indian Ambassador after monarchy was abolished, there were no diplomatic niceties. He brusquely asked why Koirala had to be the president.