KIRAN PANDAY SHOW OF FORCE: The Maoists are planning a mammoth May Day rally in the capital on Friday to put pressure on those opposed to their plan to sack the army chief. This was Tuesday's rally, with the army headquarters in the background.

After a marathon eight- hour meeting in Baluwatar on Thursday, the Maoist secretariat decided to go ahead with its plan to "take action" against Army Chief Gen Rookmangud Katawal. It couldn't have been otherwise. The Maoists had painted themselves into a corner by making this a make-or-break prestige issue.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal was squeezed by pressure from India and political parties on the one hand, and from his hardline rank-and-file on the other. It was becoming clear that the internal pressure was much stronger. In a way, "taking action" could mollify his cadre, and that process could be allowed to drag on to appease Delhi and the parties.

The other compromise worked out by the UML is to start with a clean slate by getting Katawal, the Maoist favourite Gen Kul Bahadur Khadka and Defence Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa to step down. The proposal is still on the cards, although the Maoists reject Thapa's ouster and the NC rejects Katawal's.

But under a "wholesale" deal, the Maoists are trying to woo the NC to join the government in return for agreeing to Katawal's removal. Sujata Koirala appears to be a contender, even though NC leaders Sher Bahadur Deuba and others are said to be strongly against her.

At Thursday's meeting, the Maoists also discussed in detail their plan for a massive show of force on the streets of the capital on May Day to put pressure on anyone opposed to their stance on the army row. The plan is to paralyse the state and bring the capital to a standstill with belligerent crowds in 32 major intersections in the Valley.

Subhas Devkota