Rs 500,000 spent for PM's tea party

KATHMANDU, Nov 10: Nearly 6,000 invitees on Tuesday attended a tea party hosted by Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal on the occasion of Dashain, Tihar, Chhath, Eid and Nepal Sambat new year collectively at his official residence at Baluwatar.

According to a knowledgeable source, the Prime Minister´s Office (PMO) had issued nearly 8,000 invitation cards.

"Nearly 6,000 persons attended the tea party," admitted Raghuji Panta, principal advisor to the PM, adding, "The tea party hosted by Prime Minister Nepal is the continuation of a practice begun by former prime ministers including Sher Bahadur Deuba, Girija Prasad Koirala and Pushpa Kamal Dahal."

"Nearly Rs 500,000 was spent on Tuesday´s tea party," divulged a source close to the PM on condition of anonymity. The total cost incurred in Tuesday´s party covers expenses on food items and costs for other arrangements. "However, the items served to guests at the tea party were not so costly," the source told Republica.

Anmol Catering, which has long been making catering for the PM´s residence, supplied the food items for Tuesday´s tea party. Items served to the guests included a piece of jerry, mini samosa, laddu and some nimkee.

Anmol Catering confirmed that altogether 6,150 food packets were consumed by the guests. Catering owner BL Sharma informed that they charge less if the order is large.

Another close aide of PM Nepal informed Republica that the costs incurred in Tuesday´s tea party would be reimbursed from state coffers. "Such practices have been common in the past. It´s not a big deal," Panta said.

Another source informed Republica that the PM was advised to invite only a small number of guests. "Inviting a large number of guests could send a negative message,” the PM´s well-wishers had urged him, according to the source. However, the PM apparently turned a deaf ear to them.

The PM had invited all staff working at the PMO. But only secretaries were invited from the ministries. Ministers, heads and members of various constitutional bodies, senior leaders of various political parties, diplomats, ambassadors, chiefs and deputy chiefs of various missions in Nepal, CA members, journalists, businessmen, civil society leaders, human rights activists, and chiefs and deputy chiefs of leading NGOs and INGOs were also invited.

According to a source close to the PM, most of the invitees were from the Newar community. UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal skipped the party.

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