Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal addressed thousands of supporters at Khula Manch on Saturday, a day after his party withdrew the indefinite banda called a week earlier.
During the address, Dahal said the party’s movement was not over, it was only suspended.
“The six-day strike was only a rehearsal. We put off the agitation for the time being to make further preparations and to give respite to the people. We will put on the real show in the days to come,” he said.
Dahal also said the government had two days to address the party’s demands. “If they do not respond within two days, we will take strong actions,” he said.
He said the strike had not been withdrawn because of the Peace Rally held in Kathmandu and various other cities in the country on Friday. In fact, anther Maoist leader, Sarbottam Dungel went on to say that “UML and Nepali Congress gang members were the participants of yesterday’s rally.”
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A desperate attempt at saving face; he’d hardly admit ” we called it off quick before numbers dwindled too much to really embarass us. We greatly underestimated the backlash from a broad section of civil society – including the poorest, who were suffering most. We also stupidly bungled by calling the bandh in the approach to the planting season, which led to those drafted/coerced into coming to the city quickly deserting us.” This was hyped up by the Maoists for weeks before as supposed to be ‘the final battle’. If so, they lost…