Nepal’s opposition Maoists today launched an indefinite nationwide general strike with an aim to topple the multi-party government with which they failed to reach any power-sharing deal, a day after tens of thousands of their cadres poured onto the streets in a massive show of strength.
Factories and markets were shut down while schools and colleges remained closed and vehicular movement halted as thousands of Maoist cadres demonstrated in different parts of the capital city, shouting anti-government slogans since early this morning.
The final examinations for students of 12th standard were also disrupted in various parts of the country due to the general strike, officials said.
During the Unified CPN-Maoists’ grand ‘May Day’ rally yesterday, their chairman Prachanda had announced that the former rebels would go for an indefinite general strike if the 22—party coalition government headed by Premier Madhav Kumar Nepal was not dissolved to pave the way for a new Maoist—led dispensation.
During their massive rally yesterday, Maoist cadres dressed in red shouted slogans like ‘Topple the Puppet Government and Form Maoist-led National Government’, ’Madhav Nepal Quit the Country’, ‘Protect National Independence’, and ‘Foil Conspiracy Hatched by Regressive Forces’
Though the Maoists have 35 per cent seats - the single largest party - in the 601-member Parliament, they have failed to garner support of other political groups to form a government under their leadership.
Major political parties including Nepali Congress, Nepal Communist Party-Unified Marxist Leninist and Nepal Sadbhavana Party have asked the Maoists to turn their organisation into a civilian party, return properties seized by the former rebels, dissolve their para-military group called the Young Communist League (YCL), before they could consider supporting a government led by the Maoists.
