SPA to struggle till Roadmap accepted: Nepali Congress

Kathmandu, Apr 24 (UNI) The seven-party alliance (SPA), spearheading the pro-democracy agitation in Nepal, today asserted they would continue their struggle till their ''roadmap'' for the political future of the Himalyan kingdom was accepted.

''We want revival of Parliament and formation of an all-party government -- answerable to Parliament only -- which will announce elections to a Constituent Assembly and call on the Maoists for dialogue. This government will be succeeded by an interim government, which will contain representatives of the Maoists,'' Nepali Congress working committee member and party spokesman Krishna Sitaula told UNI.

Answering a question on whether the Maoists were comfortable with the roadmap, he said this incorporated one of their key demands -- a Constituent Assembly -- to decide the nation's future dispensation, as well as discussions on how such an assembly had to be elected but admitted that they had a ''credible fear.'' ''Pointing out that the previous Parliament had also set the goal of a dialogue with the Maoists but did not deliver on their committment, they have a fear that the King and Parliament will again gang up on them,'' he said.

However, Mr Sitaula asserted that the parties had done much to convince the Maoists of their commitment and assured that past mistakes would not be repeated.

Denying the SPA would fix any conditions, such as disarmament, for dialogue with the Maoists, he said earlier parleys with the insurgents had failed because they were ''directionless'' and ''issueless''.

Expressing the hope that the agreement with the Maoists would work out, he said tomorrow's massive struggle would be a major watershed in the ongoing 19-day struggle.

''Despite all the hardships, common people and all sections of the society are participating in the protests,'' he said, noting that their struggle was ''unique in whole of South Asia for being the largest non-violent and peaceful protest, and comprising the largest ever general strike.'' ''Out of Nepal's total population of two crore, 60 lakh people are participating in the protests... there is a minimum of one thousand agitators in all districts of the country,'' he said.

Mr Sitaula also acknowledged that Maoists were participating in the ongoing stuggle.

On reports that the King could soon make an announcement as to the revival of the assembly, he said such ''rumours'' had been doing rounds for the past few days.

''There has been no response from the King since the SPA rejected his Friday's pronouncement,'' he said.

On India's role, Mr Sitaula lauded Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran's latest pronouncement holding the wishes of the Nepalese people paramount in deciding the future political landscape of the country but observed ''all friendly countries should wait for the SPA's reaction before commenting on the King's decisions and announcements.

UNI VD YA BST1916