KATHMANDU: Standing committee member of UCPN-Maoist Giriraj Mani Pokhrel today directed his party cadres to be prepared for the worst as the government might change its course and begin offensive against them.

He said that the government could resort to such extreme as India suggested Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, during his recent trip to India, to crush the Maoists with the help of the President and Nepali Army.

While addressing the selected party cadres of different sectors within Newa State Committee here in the Capital, Pokhrel claimed that India also provided two other options: continuation of the Nepal-led government including the Maoist and Maoist-led government with a condition that they would no more interfere with the issues pertaining to the President and NA. "They know that these two institutions -- President and Nepali Army -- are essential to counter the Maoists and therefore they want us not to interfere with these two," he said.

Pokhrel also claimed that PM Nepal signed the trade treaty after Sitaram Yechuri - leader of Communist Party of India-Marxist -- agreed to convince the Maoists during his upcoming visit.

In another context, Pokhrel, who is also the convenor of Integrated Public Health Campaign of the Maoist, said the Maoists' campaign could not reach the affected populace on time.

The interaction was organised to seek suggestions and support for the people of diarrhoea-hit districts. Participants at the programme demanded that the provisions should be scrapped for the scholarships of MBBS, MD, among others, as the country was investing for the people who never served the country.

The party has already directed its state committees to collect a large quantity of rice to be provided to diarrhoea-hit people.