Biratnagar, August 22:

Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) chairman Pashupati Shumsher Rana today said that the Maoists’ threat to declare the nation a republic through people’s action was “contrived and ridiculous”.

Speaking after inaugurating the fourth district convention of his party’s Morang chapter, Rana said that the Maoists were still acting as if they were taking action on people’s behalf. He said that the Maoists were voicing threats of people’s action only to stall the constituent assembly (CA) polls.

“Attacking other parties’ offices, disrupting their general assemblies and assaulting chief district officers, these acts are all part of the Maoists’ so-called people’s action,” said Rana. “What more limit do they want to cross? All their talk of launching a people’s action drive seems contrived and ridiculous.”

The RPP chief also blamed the Nepali Congress for failing to create a proper electoral atmosphere though the date for the CA polls was fast approaching. He added that the nearer the CA polls were coming, the more remote the chances of a good electoral atmosphere were getting.

“Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has been expressing his commitment to hold the CA polls, but there are no signs of his party taking up his stand in earnest.”

Rana said it was necessary to provide reservations to the Madhesi community to solve the problems in the Tarai region. He added that the Madhes region might not go to the polls as the government had failed to address the Madhes issues and had instead shown indifference towards the Madhesi people’s demands.