Saturday, April 22 2006 15:52 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: Maoists should not be excluded from the consolidation of the democratic process in Nepal, CPI(M)Politburo member Sitaram Yechuri said here today (Apr 22, 2006).

''Maoists in Nepal have very strong political influence and their inclusion in the consolidation of the democratic process will have an impact on Maoists in India,'' Yechuri,the Convenor of the Indo-Nepal Solidarity Committee, told reporters here.

''Excluding the Maoists will be a great disservice to the movement in Nepal,'' Yechuri said.

Integration of the Maoists in the democratic process in Nepal would have a 'salutary effect' in India it as would be difficult for ultra left groups here not to participate in democracy.

The King should not be allowed to exclude the Maoists citing the 1990 Nepalese Constitution which kept away Maoists from the democratic process, he said, ''We should not fall into that trap.''

India should see that King Gyanendra could in no way tries to legitimise his powers. Only the people of Nepal could decide the nature of the political system they wished to have in their country, he said.

Stating that the the King's announcement was partial, Yechuri said it stopped short of setting up a constituent assembly which was part of the 12-point demand of the seven party alliance and the Maoists in Nepal.

He said that BJP's contention that it would not agree to allowing legitimacy to the Maoists was unacceptable.