Blow-by-blow account of high drama

THT Online

• 9:30 am: High-level meeting of five coalition partners at

PM’s residence

• 10:15 am: Lt General Kul

Bahadur Khadka arrives at

PM's residence

• 11:00 am: CoAS Katawal

arrives at PM's residence

• 12:00 noon: Cabinet decides

to sack CoAS Rookmangud Katawal

• 12:15 pm: Nepali Congress leaders Sher Bahadur Deuba, Sushil Koirala meet President

Dr Ram Baran Yadav

• 12:30 pm: Government spokesperson Krishna Bahadur Mahara breaks the news to

media; a formal letter sent to Army Headquarters as well

• 1:00 pm: Tarai Madhes Democratic Party leaders meets

President Dr Ram Baran Yadav

• 2:00 pm: Cabinet conveys

decision to President Dr Ram Baran Yadav

• 3:00 pm: Maoists hold

talks with smaller parties

• 3:00 pm: NC-affiliated NSU

activists take to streets, disrupt traffic in front of campuses, burn tyres at major intersections in the Valley, protesting the Maoists' unilateral decision

• 4:00 pm: 17 parties meet at

NC parliamentary party office

• 4:00 pm: MJF parliamentary party holds meeting

• 4:55 pm: President Dr Ram Baran Yadav sends letter to the Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda'

• 5:00 pm: UML decides to pull out of the coalition government

• 5:00 pm: Representatives of

18 parties meet at UML party headquarters in Balkhu

• 5:30 pm: Maoist wings

celebrate at Ratna Park in the capital

• 10: 00 pm: 18 parties urge President Dr Ram Baran Yadav to intervene

• 10:30 pm: President Dr Ram Baran Yadav sends an order by facsimile to CoAS General Katawal, urging him to hold fort