Nepal's Maoists to demand republic if polls delayed

KATHMANDU, Feb 13 (Reuters) Nepal's former rebels will immediately press for turning the Himalayan nation into a republic if this year's elections for a constituent assembly are delayed, their leader Prachanda said today.

Prachanda, in a rare public address in Kathmandu, said ''reactionary'' supporters of King Gyanendra, forced to end direct palace rule after mass protests last year, were conspiring to defer polls scheduled for June.

The assembly is supposed to draft a new constitution which Maoists hope will abolish the monarchy.

''If the elections are delayed beyond the deadline, we should straight away declare Nepal a federal democratic republic,'' said Prachanda, who ended 25 years of underground politics after a peace process began last year.

''No one can stop Nepal from turning into a republic,'' said the 52-year-old former rebel chief whose nom de guerre roughly translates as ''fierce'' or ''militant''.

His appearance, before tens of thousands of Maoist supporters in the hill-ringed capital, was timed to mark the 11th anniversary of the beginning of the Maoists' armed revolt against the Himalayan nation's monarchy.

The following insurgency killed more than 13,000 people.

The assembly election was the key condition of the peace deal the Maoists signed with the government in November.

That deal paved the way for them to join an interim parliament and enter the administration in the run up to the vote, which would be Nepal's first in eight years.

School children in colourful uniforms were bussed to the dust-choked venue, an open field in downtown Kathmandu. Hundreds of Maoist volunteers carrying sticks and some wearing red bandanas were also present.

Earlier thousands of Maoist supporters shouting ''Declare Nepal a republic! Down with reactionaries!'' danced in the narrow streets of the temple-studded capital.

Hundreds of police looked on but there was no violence.

''It is amazing that the Maoists who were fighting a violent conflict until last year are now holding peaceful rallies. This is a big change,'' said Kathmandu businessman Suman Rajbhandari.

Nepal's key international donors accused the Maoists this week of continued extortion, kidnappings and violence despite joing the provisional parliament -- charges the Maoists deny.

Reuters DKA GC1920