Kathmandu, April 23:

Maoist chairman Prachanda said today that ground for forging a working unity among the Leftist forces has been prepared as they were prepared to declare the country a republic.

Inaugurating the national-level training programme of the CPN (Maoist)’s Joint Revolutionary People’s Council at Nepal Bhasha Academy in Kirtipur, Prachanda said that declaring the country a republic was the basis for forging a unity among various communist parties that have remained divided on ideological ground. He stressed the need to declare the republic through the parliament, a decision taken by the party’s central committee.

The Maoist chief said that his party would take to the streets if reactionary forces hatched conspiracy against the people’s desire of establishing a republican order. He asked the party cadres to be well prepared for any eventuality while declaring the country a republic from the parliament.

Another Maoist leader Dr Baburam Bhattarai asked his party cadres to remain fully alert about safeguarding nationalism and national sovereignty as both of them were in danger.

He said that nationalism and sovereignty were in danger due to interference of imperialistic forces in the national interest.

Bhattarai told the party cadres to be cooperative towards development works to be carried out by the ministries led by the Maoist ministers. He asked the cadres to maintain friendly relations with Leftists forces, republicans and general people. Organisers said around 300 national-level cadres gathered at the one-day training chaired by Bhattarai, who is also the coordinator of the Council.