Prachanda says Nepal Maoist will intensify stir

Kathmandu, May 5 (ANI): UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' has said the Maoist agitation his party has launched will be intensified gradually.

Talking to reporters here, Prachanda said the ruling parties are not heeding to Maoist demands assuming that the agitation will slacken on its own, but he warned the agitation will be further intensified.

According to Kantipur, he also accused ruling parties of ignoring the Maoists' readiness to end the deadlock through dialogue and consensus.

Denying charges that the ongoing agitation is for the prime ministerial berth, Prachanda said the UPCN (Maoist) is the party that has moved ahead by giving up the prime minister's post.

He claimed that the people's participation in the ongoing agitation is dense, and added that it was for peace and for the establishment of the Constitution.

Meanwhile, normal life across Nepal was crippled for the fourth consecutive day on Wednesday because of the indefinite general strike.

Maoist cadres, carrying batons, have thronged major thoroughfares of Kathmandu since this morning to enforce the strike.

Along with demonstrations in front of the Singha Durbar, the Maoist cadres are also staging demonstrations in the streets of Kathmandu and other cities and towns of the country.

Transportation, market places, academic institutions and industries have been brought to a virtual standstill.

A huge number of police personnel in riot gear has been deployed to prevent any untoward incident.

Earlier, Maoist vice-chairman Dr Baburam Bhattarai said there is no alternative left than to continue with the indefinite strike unless there is guarantee of a pro-people Constitution and peace.

He said the nationwide movement his party is waging would be decisive in toppling the current government and replacing it with a national unity government. (ANI)