Kathmandu, January 13:

General secretary of the Nepali Congress (NC), Ram Chandra Paudel, has accused the security forces stationed in the districts of resorting to intimidation to prevent constituents of the seven-party alliance from holding meetings.

in towns. Paudel, who wrapped up his two-week-long visit to the mid-western and far-western regions yesterday, was speaking at a press meet organised at the NC headquarters today.

“The government has put a curb on assembly on the strength of the tactics adopted by the army,” Paudel said. Stating that he was witness to many instances of the party workers being unable to hold political meetings at many places, Paudel said: “I had to attend a meeting at a private property in Dailekh.”

The people in the countryside “were found to be disenchanted with the monarch and the way he was going about,” Paudel said, adding: “The army was more against the alliance than the Maoists.” Pointing that about 20,000 people had attended each meeting he had addressed, Paudel said: “I added 12-15 such meetings.” This proves that the alliance has a good following, he said.

Maoist militias now feel it was wrong on their part to target political parties, Paudel said, adding, however, that the alliance must refrain from tying up with the Maoists to meets its objective. Stressing the need to pave the way for the unification of the two Congress parties, Paudel said: “The party workers stand for the unity of the two parties. The party needs to regain its strength if it expects to have a say in the future political system. That is what the party workers feel.”