Biratnagar, November 22:

CPN-UML standing committee member KP Sharma Oli today warned of withdrawing support to the coalition government if the Maoists did not correct their anarchic activities.

Oli was speaking at a meet organised by the Morang chapter of Press Chautari Nepal here. He said the Maoists’ activities were likely to shorten their tenure in the government.

Referring to the twin murders in Dhading, he said, “If the party leading the government resorted to killing people, UML cannot continue to be party to it.” Claiming that the people would have no respite unless his party led the government, Oli said, “The present coalition will break if the CPN (Maoist) did not mend its ways.”

Terming the dispute in Maoist central committee meeting as a ploy to deceive people, he said, “The Maoists should not try to allure people with their rhetoric; Nepalis are smart enough to comprehend their tactics.”

He accused the Maoists of delaying the statute-drafting process by raising the issues of People’s Republic and formation of a new army by integrating PLA into Nepal Army.

Oli saw no possibility of drafting the new constitution in the stipulated period. He also objected to the idea of providing compensation by the government in stead of returning the seized property to the rightful owners. Stating that the Maoists were not righteous in withdrawing the cases filed against rapists and criminals, he said, “The nation will be at a risk if such criminals were not punished.”