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Nepal's political crisis deepens as parties remain deadlocked
As the Maoists planned to move ahead with an anti-government indefinite strike, the political crisis in Nepal deepened in 2009, amid indications that the former rebels may walk away from the democratic path it embarked on in November 2006.
As the Maoists planned to move ahead with an anti-government indefinite strike, the political crisis in Nepal deepened in 2009, amid indications that the former rebels may walk away from the democratic path it embarked on in November 2006.
Nepalese parties have failed to put in place a stable government as the country ended its third year of the peace process amid violence and political deadlock.
Maoist chief Prachanda, who was forced to quit the prime minister's post in a dispute with President Ram Baran Yadav, demanded the disbandment of the 22-party coalition led by Madhav Kumar Nepal and its replacement with a national government, which would include the former rebels.
"Unless a national government is formed by January 24, we will be forced to impose an indefinite strike," Prachanda told thousands of his supporters at the end of the violent three-day agitation on December 23 to dislodge the coalition.
The parties are deadlocked over the Maoists' demand to rectify the decision of the president, who reinstated General Rukmangad Katawal, the then Army Chief dismissed by Prime Minister Prachanda in May.
Katawal has been blamed by Prachanda for resisting the integration of the former Maoists guerrillas into the army as dictated by Comprehensive Peace Agreement of November 2006.
