Radha Krishna Mainali

Radha Krishna Mainali (b. September 26, 1946, Chokpur, Taplejung DistrictK.C., Surendra. "Aitihasik dastavej sangroh - bhag 2". Kathmandu: Pairavi Prakashan, 2063 B.S.. p 453.] ) is a Nepalese politician. In the early 1970s he was one (along with his brother, C.P. Mainali) of the radical communists who led the Jhapa rebellion, inspired by the Naxalite movement in India.cite news | last = Thapa| first = Deepak| title = Day of the Maoist| work = Himāl| publisher = The Southasia Trust | date = May 2001| url = http://www.himalmag.com/may2001/cover.html| accessdate = 2006-12-31 ]

R.K. Mainali was imprisoned in 1973, and was not released until 1986. After his release he argued that the communists should formed broadbased movements for democratic change. By this time he was a leading member of the Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist-Leninist).cite journal | last = Nickson | first = R. Andrew | year = 1992 | month = November | title = Democratisation and the growth of communism in Nepal: a Peruvian scenario in the making? | journal = Journal ofCommonwealth and Comparative Politics, | volume = 30 | issue = 3 | pages = 358–386 | url = http://www.idd.bham.ac.uk/research/publications/Staff/Democratisation%20in%20Nepal.pdf | accessdate = 2006-12-31 | doi = 10.1080/14662049208447640] He was a prominent leader of the 1990 Jana Andolan as the Acting Chairman of the United Left Front, and was one of four Jana Andolan leaders to appear on national TV on April 8, 1990 to declare that the movement for democracy had been victorious.cite news | last = Ghanashyam| first = Ojha| title = UML expels RK Mainali from party post| work = Kantipur Online |publisher = Kantipur Publications Pvt. Ltd| date = 2004-03-07| url = http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=8678| accessdate = 2006-12-31 ] cite web| url = http://www.asmita.org.np/Women_Subject_Category/social_movement.htm| title = One step Toward a Brighter Future: The pro-Democracy Movement in Nepal 1990-91| accessdate = 2006-12-31| last = Pant| first = Saroj| date = 2001| work = Asmita| publisher = ASMITA Women's Publishing House, Media & Resource Organization ]

He later became a leading figure in the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) (which the CPN(ML) had merged into). R.K. Mainali contested the Jhapa-5 constituency in the 1994 parliamentary election. He won the seat with 16,361 votes, defeating the Nepali Congress candidate Surya Narayan Tajpuriya.cite web| url = http://www.election.gov.np/EN/toptwo.html| title = Finalised Constituencies With Top Two Candidates| accessdate = 2008-02-09| date = 1999| work = http://www.election.gov.np| publisher = ] After the election he became Minister for Agriculture, Land Reforms and Management in the CPN(UML) minority government headed by Man Mohan Adhikari.cite web| url = http://dosfan.lib.uic.edu/erc/bgnotes/sa/nepal9501.html| title = Background Notes:Nepal| accessdate = 2006-12-31| date = January 1995| work = dosfan.lib.uic.edu| publisher = United States Department of State] Mainali was Minister of Health in the coalition government led by Lokendra Bahadur Chand between March 12, 1997, and October 6, 1997. [http://www.healthnet.org.np/users/dixit/ANNEX-III.PDF]

In 1998 he took part in a split and the formation of the Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist-Leninist). He became a politburo member of the new CPN(ML).cite news | title = Their View| work = www.nepalnews.com| publisher = Mercantile Communications Pvt. Ltd| date = 1999-08-09| url = http://www.nepalnews.com/contents/englishweekly/awake/1-93/view.htm| accessdate = 2006-12-31 ] cite news | title = News Notes| work = www.nepalnews.com| publisher = Mercantile Communications Pvt. Ltd| date = 2000-12-15| url = http://www.nepalnews.com/contents/englishweekly/spotlight/2000/dec/dec22/newsnotes.htm | accessdate = 2006-12-31 ] He was a candidate of CPN(ML) in the 1999 parliamentary election, but lost his seat.cite web| url = http://nepalresearch.org/publications/insec_elections_1999.htm| title = Elections in Nepal: 1999 and Before | accessdate = 2006-12-31| last = Kraemer| first =Karl-Heinz | date =2006-01-05 | work = nepalresearch.org| publisher = Nepal Research ]

In 2002, when CPN(UML) and CPN(ML) reunified, Mainali returned to CPN(UML), and became a member of the party's Standing Committee. [http://www.solidnet.org/cgi-bin/lpr?parties/0540=nepal,_communist_party_of_nepal_(uml)/994nepal26f02.doc] However, in July 2003 his party membership was suspended due to his disagreements with the party.cite news | title = News Notes| work = www.nepalnews.com| publisher = Mercantile Communications Pvt. Ltd| date = August 2003| url = http://www.nepalnews.com/contents/englishmonthly/businessage/2003/aug/businessage1.htm | accessdate = 2006-12-31 ] Mainali had criticized the tactics of the party and advocated rapprochement with King Gyanedra.

After the royal coup on February 1, 2005, R.K. Mainali sided with the monarch and became Minister for Education & Sports in his cabinet.cite web| url = http://www.np.emb-japan.go.jp/info0608/events.html | title = Events Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Japan and Nepal| accessdate = 2006-12-31| date = August 2006| work = www.np.emb-japan.go.jp| publisher = Embassy of Japan in Nepal] Following the overthrow of the royal cabinet in April 2006, Mainali has denied responsibility for the repression unleashed on protestors during the popular upsurge in that year (Loktantra Andolan). [ [http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/PrintStory.asp?filepath=aATaoanlaNaeaw2a/a2Ta0sa/Va7a/ysgaHaoZaea/aFWata0a0wxyea3va3uvoIamal Mainali denies role in excesses ] ]

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