NARAYANGARH: Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal today said the country could get the new statue only after the rehabilitation of the PLA combatants of the UCPN-Maoist.

Talking to party cadres at Chitwan District Office of the CPN-UML, Nepal, who arrived here to inaugurate a national conference of Saptahik Pakshik Sanjal, said, ‘’The new constitution cannot be promulgated until the management of the Maoist combatants. The Interim Constitution states that the combatants should be rehabilitated within six months of the CA election.’’

Revealing that the government was planning to extend the tenure of UNMIN till May 15, the PM claimed that the Maoist fighters would be rehabilitated or integrated into the Nepali Army within 112 days. “It takes 112 days if we deploy only one team but the task can be completed in two months if two or three teams are deployed for the purpose.’’

He said a meeting of main political parties would decide the exact number of Maoist fighters to be integrated into the NA and the fate of others. Stating that there was hardly any dispute among political parties as to who — the president or the prime minister — would have the executive powers and about the modality of federalism, the premier added a meeting would be held tomorrow to settle the contentious issues. “All the differences persisting among parties will be settled soon,” Nepal said, asking the Maoists to correct themselves for the sake of consensus. The PM faced obstacles in reaching the venue. ‘’The Maoists have not changed much. Other parties could not change them despite several efforts,” he remarked. ‘’There is no possibility of a popular revolt immediately, as claimed by the Maoists.”

Addressing a meet organised by Press Chautari Chitwan, the PM expressed hope to hammer out a deal.

‘’The Maoists will have the same fate like that of the LTTE if they go back to war,” he remarked. Meanwhile, Maoist cadres hurled stones at the PM’s vehicle. Scores of cadres showed him black flags on his way to the programme venue from the airport. About 1,000 police personnel were deployed for the PM’s security.