Prachanda demands Koirala's resignation

Kathmandu, May 14: Maoist leader Babu Ram Bhattarai has urged Nepal Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala to relinquish his post and facilitate a peaceful handover of power, media reports said here today. "Koirala should have resigned immediately after his party (Nepali Congress) was defeated in the CA polls but he is sticking to the post as per wrong advice from sycophants," Mr Bhattarai was quoted as saying in the Kathmandu Post. He said Mr Koirala should submit his resignation to the speaker without any delay. Mr Koirala became the Prime Minister as well the head of state after the suspension of monarchy. Maoists became the largest party with winning 220 seats in the 601 Constituent Assembly in the CA polls conducted last month. "Koirala will lose his political standing and respect if he keeps on misinterpreting the people's verdict," he said.

He said the political process was not moving forward due to the NC and UML's greed for power. "The NC and UML are not ready to relinquish power even though they have suffered defeat in the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections,'' Mr Bhattarai said at a programme organised by Morang Trade Association. Earlier, Mr Bhattarai said his party would form the government alone, if the other parties refused to join a Maoist-led government Nepali Congress and UML wanted the constitution amendment , changing the provision of simple majority to form and dissolve the government, from the two third provision at present.

However, the Maoists has opposed the idea. The two parties have said they will not join the Maoists led government unless this precondition was met.

UNI