KATHMANDU, Nov 28 - A CPN-Maoist leader on Tuesday said that the party would not give up the option of going back to the jungle if their demands are not fulfilled.
"If our demands for a fully proportional electoral system and proclamation of a republic from paliament are not met we will go

back to war," said Dr Babu Ram Bhattarai, central

committee member of the party.

Speaking at an interaction program organized by Nepal Dalit Mukti Morcha (United) he claimed that even if they go back to war the country would not fail. Responding to the statement of Bishwa Kanta Mainali, chairperson of Nepal Bar Association, that the country would fail if the Maoists did not come to an agreeable solution, Dr Bhattarai said, "Foreign powers may say the country has become a failed state. But our party strongly believes that this will not happen because the people of the country are aware enough to take up arms to have their issues addressed."

He also claimed that their signing of agreements in the past were just for

the sake of peace. He said they had agreed to proclaiming a republic through the CA because they were assured of CA elections in April.

"Similarly, we signed the Comprehensive Peace Accord because the Nepali Congress would have gone out of the peace process if we had not agreed," he claimed. Failure to hold CA elections is due to the country still not being proclaimed a republic, he claimed.

"Show me a state that has a history of having conducted CA election while also having a monarchy." he said and added, "We firmly believe the CA poll is not possible unless the is king removed. If anyone believes otherwise, prove it to us."

He also said that the target of the Maoists for now is to enter into liberal capitalism through industrialization, which would not be possible with a monarchy still around.

Speaking at the program Mainali suggested that

the Maoists should not

fuel war but follow

agreements reached in the past. "The country is already a republic.

The only thing left is that we have to do it through the CA to make it legal. The Maoists should agree to this," he said.

Source: Kathmandu Post