GORKHA: Senior leader of Unified CPN-Maoist Dr Baburam Bhattarai today demanded that a national unity government be formed at the earliest.

Launching the higher secondary programme in Amarjyoti Janta Secondary School in Gorkha’s Luitelgaun, the former finance minister said, “Unified national government should be formed by toppling the incumbent coalition.”

Arguing that allowing the person defeated in the polls to lead the government was an insult of the people’s mandate, Dr Bhattarai said that his party should lead the new government.

He said the government was planning to import weapons from India by violating the Comprehensive Peace Accord. “We won’t go back to war even if the government, which has its foundation on military supremacy, is trying to force us into one,” he said, noting that the republican order faced a serious threat.

“In its short life of eight months, the Maoist-led government performed historic tasks,” he claimed. Regressive forces, which did not feel at ease with increased revenue collection, implementation of youth self-employment programme and establishment of cooperatives, toppled our government, he said.

Dr Bhattarai expressed his commitment to developing the school as an educational centre for Gorkha, Tanahun and Lamjung districts. The ex-student of the school also said he planned to develop the school as a technical university.