Girija Prasad Koirala has sought Sitaram Yechury’s help in ironing out differences between the seven-party alliance (SPA) and the Maoists.
Updated at 1.32 am
KATHMANDU: The Maoist rebels in Nepal on Wednesday night announced a three-month unilateral ceasefire.
Announcing the three-month truce, Maoist chief Prachanda, in a statement here, iterated the rebels' demand for a constituent assembly to rewrite the Constitution. During the truce period, the Maoists will halt all types of military action, he said.
Prachanda said the Maoists were committed to the 12-point agreement they had reached with the Seven-Party Alliance last
November.
Earlier, Nepal’s Prime Minister-designate Girija Prasad Koirala sought CPI(M) politburo member Sitaram Yechury’s help in ironing out differences between the seven-party alliance and the Maoists.
The Maoists, who had rejected King Gyanendra’s compromise formula on Tuesday, decided a day later to suspend their agitation till Friday, when parliament reconvenes.
Yechury, who is campaigning in Kerala, will reach Delhi on Thursday morning. He will discuss Nepal with CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat and UPA managers before leaving for Kathmandu.
Yechury has had several rounds of meetings with Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who played a significant role in brokering peace in Nepal.
A CPI(M) source said Yechury will discuss with SPA leaders the formation of the interim government and election to the constituent assembly. He will also hold talks with Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai.
Yechury said Koirala has told him that the priority of the new government is to elect a constituent assembly, implement the SPA’s 12-point agreement with the Maoists, and invite them for talks.
The source said Yechury will be in Kathmandu for three or four days and that his campaign schedule for the assembly polls in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu will suffer.
-- With inputs from agencies
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