Maoists playing game: pressurize for postponement of elections

NI Wire

New Delhi

Mon, 08 Oct 2007: 

Oct 08: Hopes of the small Himalayan country of stepping into new era of democracy are being belied again and again by the political struggle between Maoists d other parties.

Maoists, who recently gave up arms and came into the main stream politics of the country through democratic path, are expecting not a good performance of their party in the coming elections. There has been clash between interim government of Girija Prasad Koirala and Maoists over making the country a republic and to keep the king away from any political post. Maoists are against retaining Monarchy while Girija Prasad Koirala government sees no harm in retaining constitutional monarchy. The issue has not been resolved till yet.

Now the interim government has agreed to postpone the elections to the constituent assembly for drafting the new constitution of the country under the pressure of Maoists. This is to be known that Maoists last month quitted the government as they could not reach to any conclusion regarding the conflicting issues.

Elections were to be held on November 22 but they now hardly seem in view currently.

Maoists are of the opinion that government cannot go even one step further without resolving the issues of monarchy, changes in the election procedure for the elections of constituent assembly while all other parties are ready to face elections.

When Maoists came into government they had the promises of land reforms but now have been insistent on blocking the progressive steps which gear to democratization of the country.

This event of calling the constituent assembly elections off has received a lot criticism for the Maoists from all sections of society. Several parties as CPN-UML have protested against the authoritarianism. UML have blamed the Prime Minister Koirala for the delay of elections.

There are whispers in the air that certain parties are demanding Koirala to quit in case of delay of elections.