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Maoists demand constituent assembly

Ameet Dhakal

KATHMANDU: Tens of thousands of Maoist cadres and sympathisers on Friday held a meeting at Tundikhel, in the heart of the capital city, half-a-kilometre from the Royal Place, in their first such mass gathering in Kathmandu since the militancy began 10 years ago.

Most of the participants were poor villagers who carried the trademark hammer and sickle flag of the Communist parties. The people raised slogans against the King and in support of such popular demands as "land to tillers".

Addressing the meet, Krishna Bahadur Mahara, spokesperson of the CPN-Maoists, demanded that the House of Representatives be dissolved to pave the way for elections to a constituent assembly. He argued that all the parties had been proved incompetent in the past 12 years and now it was time to give the Maoists a chance under the leadership of its supremo, Prachanda.

About a dozen Maoist leaders addressed the meet.

Koirala to visit India

Meanwhile, Nepal Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala is scheduled to make a visit to India from June 6-9 at the invitation of his Indian counterpart, Manmohan Singh.

Mr. Koirala will be accompanied by Finance Minister Ram Saran Mahat, Minister for Local Development Rajendra Pandey and Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Urmila Aryal, among others.

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