Is it just a coincidence, or are pundits genetically susceptible to infighting because of their supposedly superior brainpower? Just look at who can't stand whom within the parties. They are all high priests: Jhalnath vs Oli, Baburam vs Mohan Baidya (yes, despite his surname Comrade Kiran is a true blue brahmin), Bamdeb vs Makunay, Pradeep Nepal vs Jhalnath, Prachanda vs Kiran, and in the Janamorcha Giriraj Mani Pokhrel vs Iswari Pokhrel. The NC may be in the opposition, but even there the pundits are at each other's throats: Ram Chandra Poudel vs Govinda Raj Joshi, and Shekhar Koirala and Krishna Prasad Sitaula vs Everyone Else.

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The most serious rift is within the Maobaddies, where pundits in the politburo can't get along. There is so much bad blood between Lal Dhoj and The Doc over the #2 position in the government that it seems to have reached breaking point ahead of the party's central committee meeting this weekend.

Ever since he was in high school in Gorkha and at ISc at Amrit Science, the young BRB used to tell people" "I will never be third in anything." Indeed, he came either first or second in all exams he sat for in his life. Which is why the other day he said he'd rather resign than be #3 in the government's pecking order. BRB refused to go to the deputy premier oath-taking even though PKD called him repeatedly from his motorcade en route to the Presidential Mansion.

Comrade Lal Dhoj was reportedly placated after his consort, Comrade Parbati, was inducted as Ministress of Tourism. To the many firsts that have transpired in the past two years of political transition, we get to add another: for the first time in Nepal's history there is a husband-and-wife team in the cabinet.

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But BRB was still hopping mad that his left-hand-man Top Budder was dropped from the lineup so he staged a coup d'etat at Gorkhapatra where he managed to bring his own henchman in as editor of The Rinsing Nepal, the only problem being that the gentleman in question hasn't written anything in English in his life.

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This week, there is a tie for first place in the New Name Contest between Dilip Rajbhandari, whose name for the new home minister is Bomb Deu Gautam, and Caroline Martin of Naya Bajar who has a new name for Nepal's national dish: Dahal Bhatt.

Entries to the New Name Contest and any other asinine stuff should be sent to: ass(at)nepalitimes.com