Democracy ambushed in leftist forces: Former royal aide

Kathmandu, Sep 13 (UNI) Chairman of Rashtriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal (RPP-N) Kamal Thapa, a close royal aide, has said the abolition of monarchy had put democracy in Nepal in the ''ambush of extreme leftist forces.'' ''The country was facing such a situation because top leaders of Nepali Congress and CPN-UML did not pay heed to the warning,'' Kantipur quoted Mr Thapa as saying.

''I am hearing from the same leaders, who pushed the nation into this state, about the threat of totalitarianism in the country,'' he said.

Mr Thapa, the Home Minister during King Gyanendra's direct rule, said, ''There are now two possibilities - either extreme leftist forces will take over state power or a new conflict will breed in the course of retaliating against these forces.'' ''Though it sounds a far-fetched idea now, there is also a possibility of the nation's disintegration,'' he added.

Mr Thapa said his party voted Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal during the prime ministerial election because Mr Dahal vowed to fight together for the cause of nationality.

''But he has faltered on his promise as he has said his first political trip would surely be to India upon arrival from Beijing, in an apologetic tone,'' he said.

''It was never mandatory for a Nepali Prime Minister to make the first visit abroad to India,'' he said, adding, ''The remarks sounded as if he had committed some crime.'' The former royal minister was a staunch supporter of Maoists after the end of monarchy in Nepal and voted for Maoists during the election of Prime Minister.

UNI XC SKB KN1913