I don't know about your other readers, but I wait avidly for your fortnightly installments from BP Koirala's jail diary. Many of the details may sound mundane (health worries, washing, etc) but what do you expect in the diary of an incarcerated man? The last episode from 24 March ('I have suddenly become a political being', #139) is a fascinating transformation of the man once he is put into solitary confinement. When the going gets tough, the tough get going, and here we see the true greatness of BP as a man. His nationalism, selflessness and belief in democracy and freedom shine through clearly. I wonder what BP would make of the present day confrontation between his successors in the Nepali Congress and the monarchy. Would he have joined the king in his effort to defuse the insurgency, or would he have tried to corner the king and raise the republican banner? It is clear that BP's brother, niece and his political descendants do not have his vision and experience. They can't see beyond the next corner, and the party badly needs someone of BP's statesmanship and vision. Since Kishunji is still not breaking his vow of silence, maybe someone from the younger generation should speak up for a party that is a sad shadow of its former self. BP keeps mentioning Shailaja Acharya as the one he trusted to take forward his vision, and we see in the past 12 years that she has conducted herself with integrity and spoken out with boldness even against her own party for its short-sightedness and corruption. Maybe she should make herself heard, and put country before party. And that goes for other young turks in the other parties as well.

Pratap Shah,
Biratnagar