क्रान्तीकारी नेपाल

Maoist chairman Prachanda has rejected outright pre-conditions put by major poliitical parties (Nepali Congress and UML) such as disbanding of Young Communist League (YCL) and People’s Liberation Army (PLA) for joining a government led by his party and declared that he will be at the helm by June 2. Prachanda said his party wanted him to be Nepal’s first ‘executive President’ but he would be ready to accept the post of Prime Minister with the responsibility of the head of State, like Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s current position, if it took a long time to make such a provision in the Constitution. Pushing for Koirala’s resignation, the Maoist leader told an Indian TV channel CNN-IBN, that “after the result of the election came out the Prime Minister should have resigned, he should give way to a new government which will get the status of a caretaker government.” Asked whether parties such as the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN-UML) were ready to support a Maoist-led government, he said a serious debate was going on in these parties, and every party had agreed to it in principle. Terming their pre-conditions “ridiculous,” Prachanda said these were put forward for bargaining. On the UML’s demand that key posts of Prime Minister, President and Chairman of the Constituent Assembly be shared, Prachanda said he was ready to share power with other parties but not the posts of President and Prime Minister. On integration of the PLA into the Nepal Army, he said it would be done as per the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and not all personnel would be taken into the army. “Only those professionally fit and physically fit will join the army, while others can be mixed into police or a separate industrial security force can be created.” On the economy, Prachanda said that his party favoured capitalism in the country. He said he would encourage foreign investment, including those from India. With regards to King, Prachanda said he would guarantee the safety of King Gyanendra if he respects the verdict of the people and quits peacefully but added that if King did not quit voluntarily then he could not predict its outcome.