KATHMANDU: Four dissident leaders of Nepali Congress today warned that the risks posed by extremist forces are real and are likely to take over the political parties replacing their leadership if new constitution was not promulgated by May 28, 2010.

As per the Interim Constitution that came into force since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Accord with the Maoists, the Constituent Assembly has to draft the constitution within the stipulated time frame, they argued.

"The existence of political parties would end if they failed to provide a logical conclusion to the peace process," the NC leaders said in a joint statement.

NC general secretary Kul Bahadur Gurung and central members Govinda Raj Joshi, Binaya Dhoj Chand and Sunil Kumar Bhandari made the comments at a press conference. Their statements followed interactions with party cadres in 19 districts.

Advising the party leaders not to quit the present coalition, the leaders warned that forming a new alliance with Maoists, as feared by some, would harm the institution writing process.

The leaders also urged the parties to manage Maoist combatants before the promulgation of the new statute. According to them, frustration was growing among supporters and party's organisation has been weakening.

"Holding the party's general convention will be the only solution to revive the party and regain its position of being the single largest party," Gurung said.

"The convention will replace the unitary leadership and a new collective leadership will take control of the party. Thus, holding the convention at the earliest is a must for the party to regain its grandeur," said Joshi.

NC member Chand said they were seeking to develop the leadership on the basis of the party's ideology but not on individuals.

"Party's cadres express regret over the leadership crisis in our party and we want to undo this damage," another member Bhandari said adding that the cadres were unhappy about the performance of the party nominees in the Cabinet.

Party's chief in the CA Laxman Ghimire was present during the press conference at the party's central office but made no comments.