Kathmandu, November 21:

An influential leader of the CPN (Maoist), Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘Badal’, said today that changing government leadership is not the agenda of the party.

Thapa’s remarks come at a time a day after the Maoist party’s second-in-command Dr Baburam Bhattarai called for a change in government leadership.

“Change in government leadership is not our agenda now,” Badal said at a function held to mark the 10th anniversary of the CPN (Maoist)-affiliated Tamang Rastriya Mukti Morcha.

Badal called on the democratic forces “to be united to topple the autocratic monarchy, imperialists and the expansionists.”

He said the transition phase may last for a few more months.

The date for constituent assembly elections can be extended for around six months as the nation remains undecided on the electoral system.

“Elections for what purpose? We need to decide this,” he said. “People will decide if the problem is not resolved,” he said. The government must follow the direction of the parliament, Badal said. “Failure on the part of the government to implement the direction of the parliament would be violation of the rule of law,” he said.

Badal said that the regressive forces could come up with stronger plans to derail the peace process. All the parties should be united to foil such plans, he said.

Badal said he cannot rule out the possibility of a royal coup but “that would be his (king’s) last attempt.”

Talking about the mistreatment meted out to the president of the Nobel Medical College, Badal said his party has apologised to the victims and the party has initiated action against those miscreants of the party who were involved in the case.