Kathmandu, Aug 7 (Inditop.com) After warning the government that the new constitution may not be implemented in time, Nepal’s Maoist chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda is now going on a trip to Britain even as his party triggered fresh unrest in the fragile nascent republic Friday.
This is the former prime minister’s first visit abroad after his government collapsed in May.
Like his first visit abroad after assuming office, his first trip out of power is equally controversial.
The Maoist chief is leaving for London on a 10-day visit Saturday at a critical time when Nepal’s peace process has been brought to a halt by his own party and the future of the new constitution lies in jeopardy.
Talking to the media in Pokhara town Friday, the former guerrilla leader warned the new communist government that the new constitution is unlikely to be promulgated by May 2010 if the rift between his party and the coalition continues to widen.
From Friday, the Maoists have called for countrywide disruptions as well as a blockade of parliament after their month-long ultimatum given to Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal ended Thursday.
Nepal was asked to dissolve his alliance and make way for a Maoist-led national government as proof that the army was not running the country.
The Maoists have been making that allegation since they tried to sack the army chief, Gen Rookmangud Katawal, but were frustrated by President Ram Baran Yadav who reinstated the general.
As their government fell due to the feud, the Maoists are blaming the president and will boycott his public programmes during their month-long protests.
While Prachanda’s deputy and former finance minister Baburam Bhattarai is leading the protests, the supremo himself is off to Britain.
The trip comes even as the Maoists demanded the resignation of Health Minister Uma Kant Chaudhary, who had been on another trip to Germany while a raging diarrhoea epidemic killed nearly 250 people and affected thousands.
