Pokhara, August 22:

Central member of the Nepali Congress Shekhar Koirala said today that CA members from his party would resign if the Maoists tried to frame a constitution with the aim of establishing a People’s Republic.

Speaking at a press conference organised by the Kaski chapter of Press Union, Koirala said, “Apart from NC, CPN-UML and the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum also continue to support the democratic system.”

“Even if the CPN-Maoist tries to go for the establishment of a People’s Republic, it will not get support from two-third of CA members,” he said. The UML and MJF should not have handed over the defence portfolio to the Maoists because the peace process has not been brought to a logical conclusion, he said.

“Nepali Congress, army and police forces were hit the hardest by the conflict,” he said, adding, “The two parties should not have given the defence portfolio to the Maoists without resettling conflict victims.”

NC leader Dr Ram Saran Mahat accused the Maoists of continuing to issue threats and abduct people.

“The decision to mobilise PLA personnel during the PM’s swearing-in shows that the Maoists are trying to establish one-party rule,” he said.

As the main opposition, the NC would make the government work for greater good of the people, he said.

Maoists aim to grab power: Poudel

Narayangarh: Vice-chairman of the Nepali Congress Ram Chandra Poudel on Friday said that the CPN-Maoist wanted to capture power.

Speaking at a programme organised by the NC’s Chitwan district executive committee here, he said, “As the opposition party, the NC has the responsibility of changing the Maoists’ mentality of capturing power.”

He said his party would continue the fight against the totalitarian character of the Maoists.

Accusing the Maoist of conspiring to cause the collapse of the Nepal Army by adjusting PLA soldiers with the NA, he said it was wrong to politicise the army and security organs.

He said, “We opposed the hand-over of the defence portfolio to the Maoists to save the nation

from disaster.” NC central member Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat blamed the Maoists for not following the comprehensive peace treaty. He said the Maoists had not yet handed

over seized land and properties belonging to around 2,100 NC leaders and cadres. — HNS