Former Nepal PM Koirala has asked the Maoists to withdraw their anti-government agitation for the sake of "national unity".
In an emotional appeal, ailing former Nepal prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala has asked the Maoists to withdraw their anti-government agitation for the sake of "national unity" and work for taking the peace process to its logical conclusion.
Talking to Nepal Television from his hospital bed, the 86-year-old Nepali Congress president last night said the former rebels should find a "middle way" in order to end the present political stalemate in the country.
Koirala's call comes a day after Maoist chief Prachanda issued an ultimatum to the government to restore "civilian supremacy" by November 20 or face stepped up protests. Tens of thousands of Maoist cadres laid siege to a key administrative complex here on Thursday and Friday.
"I have only one request to the Maoists, please give up protests for the sake of national unity and consensus," Koirala said talking to press for the first time after he was admitted to the Martyr Ganga Lal Heart Centre here on Tuesday.
He was hospitalised after the oxygen level in his blood dipped and he complained of weakness. Koirala was suffering from pneumonia for some time.
The former premier, who was flown to Singapore today for further treatment, called on the CPN-Maoist to give up their agitation and resole the problems peacefully.
"This is not the proper time to launch an agitation," he said and stressed on the need to form a high-level political mechanism to conclude the peace process. The mechanism willsolve all the political problems, he said.
"It is not proper to harm the dignity of the president, Koirala said and urged the Maoists to find a "middle way in order to end the present political stalemate".
The Maoists have been blocking the Parliamentary proceedings for the last four months asking the president to apologise for his step to reinstate army chief Rukmangad Katawal after he was sacked by then premier Prachanda.
Prachanda quit as prime minister after a prolonged dispute with the President on the issue.
The Maoists, who waged a decade-long insurgency in Nepal, joined mainstream politics after a 2006 peace deal with the interim government led by Koirala. CPN-Maoist formed Nepal's first post-royal government on August 22 after the former rebels emerged as the largest party in the constituent assembly polls on April 10 last year.
The latest political standoff has put new stresses on Nepal's reconciliation efforts after the end of the insurgency amid fears that the peace process may be derailed if the Maoist agitation is not ended soon.
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