The Maoists' plan to announce federal states on 20 October has raised the hackles of the anti-federal forces. Instead of implementing the federal system as pronounced in the interim constitution, the status quoists seem terrified by the idea.

After a decade-long armed insurgency and the success of Jana Andolan II, the interim constitution has envisaged Nepal as a federal state as desired by the people, but the NC and UML are acting against the spirit of the constitution. The Maoists have now decided to announce the federal units in the third phase of their agitation, not to form a parallel government but to facilitate the process of putting a federal system into place, says Maoist politburo member Deb Gurung.

Contrary to the interim constitution provision, the status quoists are orchestrating a drama aiming to prevent it, and are spreading rumours that the Maoists are preparing to capture state power. If the political parties attempt to go against the spirit of the Jana Andolan, people will not hesitate to rise up in the future.

The status quoists are used to milking the state for personal benefit. They are trying to make a few changes in the 1990 constitution and introduce it as a new constitution. Also, though the Maoists took up the agenda of federalism ever since the people's war, the NC and UML only took up the slogan of federalism during the CA elections with an ulterior motive.

The Maoists will be announcing federal units in 13 different places. The demarcation of states, number of units and their names can be changed in the course of discussing state restructuring. But most political parties, during discussions in the State Restructuring and Sharing of State Power Committee, have proposed 13 to 15 states, though the NC has not yet finalised its draft.