Maoists give 48-hr deadline to PM Nepal to quit

Accusing the ruling alliance of betrayal,Nepals main opposition Maoist party on Monday issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the embattled Prime Minister to quit...

Accusing the ruling alliance of betrayal,Nepals main opposition Maoist party on Monday issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the embattled Prime Minister to quit,warning that the failure to do so would result in a serious crisis in the country.

PM Madhav Kumar Nepal had agreed to step down to secure the support of United CPN-Maoist party,which has nearly 40 per cent seats in Parliament,to extend by one year the Constituent Assemblys term that was to expire last Friday.

Narayankaji Shrestha,a top Maoist leader,accused the 22-party ruling coalition of trying to deceive his party by misinterpreting the crux of the agreement. Shrestha warned that the PMs failure to resign within five days of the deal would result in serious crisis. The PM Nepal must resign by Tuesday evening, he was quoted as saying by the Himalayan Times daily on Monday.

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Hardline Maoist leader Mohan Vaidya Kiran said the PM has given verbal assurance to resign within five days while signing the three-point agreement to extend the term of the Constituent Assembly on May 28. A situation of mistrust will prevail if they fail to stick to the three-point agreement,Vaidya warned. Maoist spokesman Dinanath Sharma in a statement on Monday said the party now appeals to the PM and the political parties to remain true to their commitments… and to create a conducive environment for consensus.

Although the Maoist leadership claims that the PM had given assurance to quit within five days,the ruling alliance denies having any such deal,saying the Nepal is in no hurry to resign. He has not given any time bound assurance for resignation,said Nepali Congress leader Bimalendra Nidhi. He will resign only in two conditions: if consensus is reached to move forward the peace process and complete the drafting of the constitution and when all parties agree to form a national consensus government.