Kathmandu, January 2:

Nepali Congress leader Sujata Koirala today accused the Maoists of delaying the constituent assembly election.

“It is clear that the Maoists are responsible in creating problems that will automatically hamper timely election of the constituent assembly. If it happens, the Maoists will have to bear responsibility,” she said, talking at an interaction at Reporters’ Club.

“It is a big question why the Maoists want to perish the democracy we have brought together and push back the country again into the same old pit,” she said .

She also said the “undemocratic forces” are again active in causing riots and destabilising democracy and the Maoists will have to own responsibility for it . “I don’t need to say whether it is the palace or not. But the undemocratic forces, which had helped the king to rule autocratically in previous years, are seen doing ‘things’ in different parts of the country. The Maoists must be aware of it,” she said.

She claimed that the seven-party alliance has conceded all that the Maoists had demanded but at the same time added, “We still cannot give them all until they come to the interim government.”

she also charged the civil society leaders of taking the side of one party, without indicating to which party the civil society is seen tilted. Dozens of civil society representatives were arrested on Monday when they were holding a peaceful demonstration demanding that the interim constitution be tabled in Parliament.

CPN-UML leader Bharat Mohan Adhikari demanded that an interim government be set up before the process of arms management is completed, adding that the “mistakes and shortcomings’ in the interim constitution could be amended later.

“After having the interim constitution issued and bringing them to the interim legislature, Maoists will feel responsibility as the document itself is their production too. And this will automatically lead the country to a sort of establishment,” he said.

He also said that the Maoists’ stand on security posts and VDC secretaries is hindering the country from moving ahead to a constituent assembly election.