Nepe - Thanks. It's always good to read your insights. I wish there were more people like you around. "There will be no separate president of Nepal ... it will be the president of India." Bineet - I hope not. But let me say this, for a country that even the natives have had a hard time governing, good luck to any foreigners with dreams to rule over Nepal's somewhat unruly masses :) . It's one thing to bring up India as a political boogeyman - and everyone from the King to Maoists to Congress has done it - but it's quite another thing to practice everyday politics based on such fear. The politics of fear is bound to loose out in the end : case in point the collapse of the Panchayat and the paranoid elements of the Nepali right. Chana Tarkari - That's very nice of you to say that :) Chicago Bull - To your originial question, my guess if I were to speculate is there is a good chance it will be Girija Koirala if he lives to see the day or Sahan Pradhan or someday Madhav Nepal or Comrade Prachanda. If the new political system continues to give party bosses total hegemony over the leadership process, it might be a while before we see fresh faces rise to the top. My best speculation of course is President Gyanendra! :P But I'm just being a bit miscievous there I suppose :)