Nepal, Oct. 5 -- Gagan Thapa did what he does best. He delivered a good speech.

Addressing the 15th General Convention of the Nepali Congress on Sunday, Thapa began with a metaphor. He used Khula Manch, the open ground where the convention is being held, to make a point about the state of Nepal's politics - and to take a shot at Prime Minister Balendra Shah.

"The message that the Nepali Congress wants to take and convey by organising its convention at Khula Manch is that open spaces are needed in many places in Nepal - and first of all, we need one in Parliament," he said. "Parliament is not open. It is closed. The prime minister must be present in the Parliament that elected him. Until he appears there with respect for Parliament, the ...