Narayangarh, August 20:

Spokesperson of the CPN-Maoist and coordinator of the Maoist talks team, Krishna Bahadur Mahara, said a conspiracy was being hatched to prevent elections to a constituent assembly.

Speaking at a press meet here, Mahara said foreign forces had helped in conspiring against the CA elections.

“Our weapons prevented the conspiracy against the constituent assembly elections from bearing fruit,” said Mahara, adding that the rebels’ weapons would be managed only after the constituent assembly polls.

Mahara said weapons can be managed in three phases. In the first phase, the Maoist army will stay in temporary barracks; in the second phase the authenticity of the Maoist army and weapons would be verified under the UN supervision and the Maoist army and the Nepali Army should be inactive during the elections and in the third phase a new national army should be formed by merging the Nepal Army and the Maoist army.

“We will disarm ourselves during the restructuring of the nation,” said Mahara.

He said the Nepal Army is still being guided by the king.

Monarchy is a major obstacle to solving all the problems ailing the nation, he said, adding that lasting peace could be established in the country only after the end of monarchy.