Tuesday, April 25 2006 17:09 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury, who has been mediating between the Seven-Party Alliance (SPA) and Maoists to defuse the crisis in Nepal, today (Aprr 25, 2006) said the left extremists were still open to join the democratic mainstream once the process of electing a constituent assembly begins.

Reacting to reports that the Maoists rebels would continue with their planned blockades and demonstrations, Yechury told sources from Calicut that while the protests would be carried out peacefully, the leftwing rebels would wait for the restored Parliament to take effective steps to start the process for electing a constituent assembly.

Yechury said he had been in touch with Maoist leadership through the night and this morning since the King offered to reinstate Parliament.

The CPI(M) leader said the Nepalese Parliament, now restored, should meet and take expeditious decision to start the election process and start formal talks with the Maoists, as per the agreement between the rebels and the Alliance.

"Once these formal negotiations begin, the Maoists would take steps to join the democratic mainstream," he said.

Yechury said the Maoists told him they were concerned that Nepal's urge for democracy had on earlier occasions been 'subverted by the monarchy with the help of some political elements'.

He said while the Maoist would continue their peaceful protests, they would also await the decision of Parliament to go for elections to the Constituent Assembly.

A report from Kathmandu said Maoist leader Prachanda asked the people to continue their protests, while rejecting the King's latest offer for failing to address their key demand for a republic and elections to a constituent assembly that could water down the monarch's sweeping powers.