Kathmandu (PTI): Leaders of a prominent students union, affiliated with Nepali Congress, have warned of a new "dictatorship" emerging in the country after Maoists claimed both the posts of president as well as the prime minister.

"We should be alert not to let another autocrat be born after toppling Gyanendra," said Gajendra Karki, General Secretary of Nepal Students Union.

The warning comes amid threat by Maoists, who emerged as the largest party in the landmark Constituent Assembly polls last month, that they would launch another agitation if both the posts are not given to them.

Prachanda, during a party rally on Friday, threatened to establish a communist republic through October Revolution if other parties do not allow them to form a government.

Both Nepali Congress, which leads the interim government, and Communist Party of Nepal-UML want the Maoists to leave one of the two top posts for other coalition partners.

Their leaders have slammed Prachanda's statement saying that the Maoists' claim on top positions in the new republican set up was an outcome of authoritarian attitude.

"Did people vote for them for establishing totalitarian rule? Nepali Congress vice president Ramchandra Poudyal told The Kathmandu Post.

"It is ridiculous that a party, just because it is the largest party, wants to get everything and impose its arbitrary rule on the country sidelining all others," said Bharat Mohan Adhikari, CPN-UML leader.

Krishna Parajuli, general secretary of Tarun Dal, a youth wing of Nepali Congress, has claimed that the palace used to support the Maoist movement but Prime Minister Koirala brought the Maoists into the mainstream to counter the monarchy.