Janakpurdham, March 28:

British ambassador to Nepal Dr Andrew Hall today came down heavily on the armed groups in Tarai who are ‘hell bent to disrupt the constituent assembly election.’

Interacting with media persons here today after meeting the district administration officials, security personnel and some political leaders, the British ambassador said: “No group should take up arms against the state and there is no room for the armed groups in the election process.”

Only yesterday, the Akil Tarai Mukti Morcha led by Jay Krishna Goit had issued a statement to rule out talks with the government before the election.

The armed outfit has also threatened to “retaliate” against the April 10 election. The Jantantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha has said that it would hold talks with the government only under the international mediation. Four armed groups in the region — the Jantantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha, Samyukta Tarai Mukti Morcha, Tarai Cobra and Madhes Mukti Tigers — have, however, formed a joint talks panel yesterday.

The British ambassador, who arrived here yesterday to look into preparations for the

election, said the security and other practical arrangements for the April 10 election were going on “very well”.

“Of course, the election would happen. What is the alternative,” he said, replying to a query by reporters.

Reiterating an all-out support for the election process, Dr Hall said that the UK, as Nepal’s largest development donor, takes the election as a critical part of the process to consolidate peace in the country since development cannot take place without peace.

Britain has been providing an annual assistance worth 59 million pound sterling to Nepal.

Dr Hall said said that his country alone will field 25 out of 120 international election observers pledged by the European Union. “For a day, I would be one of the election observers and not the British ambassador,” he said.