Maoists to wage a war if Nepal not declared Republic: CPN-M

Kathmandu, Nov 28 (UNI) The Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist) has warned that it would go back to the jungles and take up arms again if the demands of a fully proportional electoral system and proclamation of a Republic are not met by the government.

CPN-Maoist leader Babu Ram Bhattarai yesterday said the party would not give up the option of ''going back to the jungles'' if its demands were not fulfilled.

''Foreign powers may say the country has become a failed state.

But our party strongly believes that this will not happen because the people of the country are aware enough to take up arms to have their issues addressed,'' he claimed.

Mr Bhattarai said their signing of agreements in the past were just for the sake of peace. The party had agreed to proclamation of Republic through the Constituent Assembly because they were assured elections in April.

The CPN believed that elections were not possible till Monarchy was not abolished.

The target of the Maoists for now was to enter into liberal capitalism through industrialisation, which would not be possible with Monarchy still around.

The CA election has been postponed twice. The Maoists left the government saying the election cannot be held unless monarchy was abolished and had also passed an endorsement to declare Nepal a Republic by simple majority.

UNI