KATHMANDU: Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Ganesh Sah said Nepali Congress, the second largest party in the parliament, was trying to push the country towards destruction by presenting another party to take leadership of the government.

Speaking at the Reporters' Club on Wednesday, he said CPN-UML, which toppled the government it was an ally of, has no moral ground to join the government again.

Joint general secretary of Nepali Congress (NC), Dr Ram Sharan Mahat said the latest broadcasting of video tape had proved difference in words and deeds of Maoists and accused the latter of bringing large number of weapons in the country to wage war.

It was due to the incompetence of UNMIN that Maoist could say they had increased the strength of combatants to 21,000 from its real capacity of 7,000 in the cantonments, he said, adding, "It is the gift that UNMIN presented to Nepal".

Vice-chairperson of CPN-UML, Bidhya Bhandari said the latest directives of the President has relieved the country from a crisis and stressed the formation of national government based on consensus among the parties. She claimed Madhav Nepal deserved to be the Prime Minister on behalf of own party for his capacity to coordinate all forces though the names of KP Sharma Oli, Jhalanath Khanal and Nepal have come to public for the post.

Unified CPN (Maoist) leader Barshaman Pun said his party was fully committed to bring the peace process to a logical end and accomplish the task of drafting new constitution as per the letter and spirit of peace accord and added his party would not cooperate till the question of executive power of the nation was finalised. The issue that Maoist cadres threatened other party supporters in Ramechhap was against the party's principle and those involved in the activities will be punished, he said.