Did you think you would remain in your position as PM for this long? 
Baburam Bhattarai: I wanted to complete the peace process and constitution writing by 27 May and handover the leadership. But I had to stay longer because the situation demanded it. The difference over federalism was the main reason the constitution writing couldn't be completed on time. So far in my tenure as the PM I have tried my best to accomplish as much as I could. But my individual effort alone wasn't enough. This is why we could only reach the 99 metre mark. We fell short by one crucial metre that has landed us in this difficult position.
The army integration process is in quandry again and your party leaders are now saying that integration is not possible. So what did we get after all the bloodshed, wasn't the lives and times of so many young people wasted for nothing?
We are at a crucial point in history in establishing a new order. Such historical change cannot be brought about in a few months or few years. It may take decades to fully overthrow the old order and install a new one. Other countries have taken decades to fully implement and bring change and I believe we are also headed in the same direction. So I am not disappointed.
How long will you use the rhetoric of historical change to pacify the public? What about socio-economic reforms to address people's everyday problems?
Such reforms can only be brought through a budget which I haven't been able to present. While I am still actively pushing the reform agendas, those from the old order are still resisting change. We are still in a transition period so everything cannot be solved immediately.
Of the 40 point demands that the Maoists had presented to the then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba before starting the armed struggle, that included scraping discriminatory treaties, distributing land to the homeless ...
I am well aware of what I had written in the 40 point demand, you don't need to remind me about them. Could you just proceed directly to the question?
What demands have been accomplished so far?
We are still working towards those goals for which we picked arms in the first place. Since the new order is yet to be implemented we cannot address many of the demands. Furthermore, the need of the hour is to complete constitution writing which will pave way for other important issues to be addressed. It's only been five years and though our main political objective has been partially met we still have a long way to go.
So how and on what basis will the election take place on 22 November since the Election Commission (EC) has already declared that polls can't be conducted without amending the statute?
No, the EC hasn't said anything like that. We are already working on the legalities to take the election forward. Laws relating to the election will come through an ordinance which will then open the doors for election.
The recent article by SD Muni has revealed secret relations between your party and India. Maoist leaders are said to have contacted the Indian PMO in 2002. What do you have to say about that?
In December 2001 after the army was mobilised and the king was slowly taking all power in his hand, we contacted the heads of many countries including India, China and the US and even informed United Nations to make them aware of the situation.
You have been accused of being a roadblock in the formation of a national unity government. How long will this government last?
The government will stay in place until elections are conducted. I am ready to hand over power as soon as parties can reach consensus on key issues.
