Prachanda rules out possibility of alliance with NC

By Our Correspondent,Nepalgunj, Jan. 25: CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has said that the Maoists are committed to protecting the achievements gained through the sacrifices of martyrs.

He made this statement during the inauguration of the Martyrs' Garden at the Janata Model Higher Secondary School in Khajura-2, Banke, on Thursday.

Prachanda expressed concern over what he described as a renewed conspiracy to undermine the gains made through the sacrifices of thousands of martyrs. He urged the public to stay vigilant to safeguard the accomplishments.

He also criticised what he called an "unnatural alliance" formed in response to the anti-corruption campaign led by the Maoist-led government.

During the event, Prachanda paid tribute to martyrs by laying a wreath and unveiling statues of martyrs from the ‘People’s War’ including Dambar Ranabhat, Pratima Gautam and Bipin Adhikari in the Martyrs' Garden.

Prachanda also met with the families of the martyrs to inquire about their well-being. Earlier, Prachanda visited the home of martyr Dambar Ranabhat in Khajura-3, Dhawalagiri village, where he met with local martyr families and shared a meal with them.

During his visit, Prachanda assured the families that martyrs never die and said that the party stands by them in their grief. He also mentioned that all the martyrs of the ‘People's War’ were officially recognised as national martyrs during his third term as Prime Minister. Prachanda reiterated that the state should honour the families of martyrs and the disappeared.

After inclement weather delayed his arrival, Prachanda travelled to Nepalgunj and Khajura in Banke via Surkhet by plane, and then by road.

While in Surkhet, Prachanda stated that he was not currently interested in joining the government. Talking to reporters at the Surkhet Airport, he clarified that there was no possibility of cooperation with the Nepali Congress at this time.

Prachanda also recalled a recent conversation he had with Nepali Congress leaders Shekhar Koirala and Chandra Bhandari at the Chitwan Airport. Although the meeting was coincidental, he said, there was no discussion about power-sharing. "When journalists asked what would happen if the government changes, I said we are with the people. Shekharji also mentioned that this is politics, it was just a coincidence. We are not interested in joining the government," he said.

Prachanda, however, expressed doubts about the longevity of the current alliance. He accused the government of attempting to run the country through ordinances, claiming that it was wrong to replace the bills being discussed in the parliamentary committees with ordinances by bypassing Parliament and violating constitutional and democratic norms. He also criticised the government for corruption and its actions, such as protecting its supporters, attacking well-performing institutions and removing honest employees.