Maoists to rejoin government soon: Home Minister

Kathmandu, Oct 18 (UNI) Maoists would rejoin the government after the Dashain festival, Nepal Home Minister Keishna Prasad Sitavla claimed today.

Mr Sitaula also announced that the new date for the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections would be decided shortly.

Mr Sitaula had played an instrumental role in forging the alliance of the parliamentary parties and the Maoists that led to the April uprising.

The Maoists quit the coalition government after Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala-led Nepali Congress (NC) did not agree on the new ''pre-requisites'' demanded by the Maoists for the elections.

The Maoists even summoned the special session of the interim parliament to fulfill their key demands--immediately declare the country a republic and make a provision for a proportional representation system of voting for the CA elections.

The poll had also been put off indefinitely and the country was facing political impasse due to the stand-off between the NC and the Maoists.

Meanwhile, Mr Sitaula reiterated that the government will take all seven parties on board to deal sternly with the groups unleashing violence, abductions, extortions and murders in the Terai.

UNI