Maoists ready for polls in Nepal: Prachanda

Kathmandu, Dec 22: The CPN-Maoist has said it was ready to go for Constituent Assembly elections in Nepal, but it would not join the interim government.

Maoist Chairman Prachanda proposed this yesterday during a meeting with Prime Minister and President of Nepali Congress (NC) Girija Prasad Koirala. The leaders failed to reach a consensus on three major issues raised by the Maoists. Dr Baburam Bhattarai, Maoist senior leader who was present during the meeting, said, ''As the Nepali Congress leaders were against our proposal to rewrite Article 159 (3) and hold a roundtable conference of all groups concerned to reach a consensus on the electoral system and form a high-level steering committee, we proposed to go for Constituent Assembly polls without joining the government.''

He said Mr Koirala, however, asked the Maoist leaders to join the government before fixing a new date for the poll, Kantipuronline reported. Dr Bhattarai said, ''We are ready to go for polls, but we we will not join the government until our demands are fulfilled.'' UNI