Next Indian Elections

(3 Feb 2005)

Katmandu, Nepal
1. Wide of gates to Narayanhiti palace opening to let out a convoy of official cars
2. Wide of car with Nepalese flag
3. Close up of licence plate
4. Various of cars leaving with newly sworn-in ministers (unidentified)
5. Gates closing
6. Traffic being released
7. Soldiers on a truck
8. Roadside vendor
9. SOUNDBITE: (Nepali) Vox Pop:
"The political leaders did not do anything for the people. But by reverting to the Rana rule, the king did not do the right thing, although dismissing the government was a right step."
10. SOUNDBITE: (Nepali) Vox Pop:
"Cutting off communications links was not a right step. It will have repercussions for the King."
11. SOUNDBITE: (Nepali) Vox Pop:
"It feels good. There was strife in the country earlier, now there will be peace."
12. Shops with shutters downed
13. Various of traffic on the streets; open bank
14. Soldiers walking on a pavement
15. Traffic outside the royal palace
16. Wide of street with shops open
17. Woman reading newspaper
18. Soldiers sitting in a stationary truck

New Delhi, India
19. Bulletin board showing arrivals at airport
20. Passengers coming out of airport terminal
21. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rajiv Saksena, Indian businessman:
"The situation is not very good. They have closed down all the telephones, internet and everything has been closed down. There is no communication with the media, no one can contact anyone."
22. SOUNDBITE: (English) Catherine McEwan, Australian tourist:
"The people that I spoke to, they felt that it was not good what was going on, but they did not feel there was going to be too much trouble and they felt it was better than what was happening, something had to happen. So they were not keen about losing their communication, they felt that was not right but they did not know what else could be done. They felt that if communication had been left open, there would be more riots and there would be more violence."
23. Passengers in terminal

STORYLINE:

Nepal's King Gyanendra announced a 10-member Cabinet dominated by his own supporters on Wednesday, one day after he dismissed the government, declared emergency rule and virtually cut his nation off from the world.

An official later said the new government would reach out to the country's Maoist rebels to renew peace talks.

Dozens of politicians have been arrested and many more have gone underground to avoid detention, an opposition figure told Associated Press.

Extra riot police and soldiers patrolled the streets of the capital, Katmandu, where civil liberties were severely curtailed.

Gyanendra will head the newly appointed Cabinet, state radio said in a report that gave few details other than the new body's members.

"The king has expressed confidence that everyone will support and cooperate with the new Cabinet," the palace said in a statement.

State radio carried reports that said the king and the new government would soon be approaching the Maoist rebels to renew talks.

The Maoists, who control much of rural Nepal, broke off peace talks in August 2003. The rebels baulked at later invitations from the government of ousted Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to renew the talks, insisting that real authority remained in the hands of the king.

The king on Tuesday sacked Deuba's interim government, accusing it of failing to hold parliamentary elections or control the Maoist insurgency and pledging to do both himself within three years.

The tiny Himalayan nation remained largely isolated on Wednesday, with telephone and internet lines cut.

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