Nepal PM won't resign unless army integration issue is settled

Kathmandu, May 10 (ANI): Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal's political advisor Raghuji Panta has said Nepal will not step down until there is an agreement on the integration of Maoist combatants with the Nepal Army.

According to Nepalnews, Panta said there should be an agreement on the number of Maoist combatants before the Prime Minister could consider resigning.

"The Prime Minister has no compulsion to resign just because of the Unified CPN (Maoist) agitation.

Panta's views come at a time when Nepal is facing increasing pressure from the Maoists, a section of his own party, CPN (UML) and the business community to resign to end the current political standoff.

American and European Union diplomats have also expressed dissatisfaction over government's refusal to break the deadlock.

Meanwhile, the Unified CPN (Maoist) has declined a request made by Nepal to come for talks.

A Maoist Standing Committee meeting concluded that the government eems unwilling for a political consensus. (ANI)