Maoists choose 10 interim MPs: The Maoists have chosen the ten MPs as per the seats allocated by the eight party leaders for nominations for the interim parliament. Those chosen include Malla K Sundar, Kumar Fudong, Narayan Prasad Sharma, Padma Lal Biswokarma, Shanta Shrestha, Hari Roka, Bhikchhu Ananda, Krishna Acharya, Moti Devi Chaudhary and Iftiaz Alam (from Muslim community). Sundar is a rights activist, Roka a political commentator, Sharma a journalist from western Nepal and Chaudhary a freed Kamaiya. Fudong, interestingly, had retired from Nepali Army from the position of Major General a few years ago. Meanwhile, Maoist leader Ram Bahadur Thapa aka Badal told reporters that those MPs chosen from civil society will not have to abide by the party's whip in the parliament. Earlier, UML had also chosen 10 MPs for the interim parliament. Apart from Maoists and the UML, other parties like Nepali Congress (NC), NC-Democratic and smaller parties, too, are said to be actively engaged in nominating their share of MPs. The interim parliament will have 330 members in total. Apart from existing 209 MPs (from the current House of Representatives and National Assembly), the Maoists get to choose 73 MPs – which they have already made public. Those apart, the eight parties have also divided the remaining 48 seats among themselves for nominations – ten each for NC, UML and Maoists; six for NC-Democratic and three each for four smaller parties. As the interim parliament has to be formed on January 15 as per the decision of the top leaders of eight parties, the government has sought the party nominations by Sunday when the cabinet meeting is expected to adopt the interim constitution, which will also be promulgated on January 15. nepalnews.com sd Jan 13 07