Rupandehi, September 5:

Senior Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai today described the preparations for the constituent assembly (CA) election as “ill-timed tooting of trumpets”.

Speaking at a programme, “Our contribution to the national economy”, held by the newly-formed Maoist-affiliated Nepal Udyog Byapar Sanghathan (NUBS) here, he said, “All this talk by other parties about the CA polls is ill-timed tooting of trumpets. Without coming of age, the boy and the girl cannot be married,” he said, adding, “Similarly, unless the government concedes our 22-point list of demands, it is unlikely that the CA election wedding will take place.”

Bhattarai said the 12-point peace agreement, Maoist presence in the interim government and the CA election roadmap have hit grave hurdles. Pro-Maoist trade union president Shalikram Jamarkattel admitted that his union had failed to espouse the rights and issues of workers.

President of the NUBS Krishna Acharya said the scenario for trade and commerce was still not conducive.