Kathmandu: Maoist chairman Prachanda today accused "foreign forces" of hatching conspiracies to prevent his party from coming to power after the crucial Constituent Assembly polls on April 10.

Prachanda claimed that "international power centres" were "hatching conspiracies" against the holding of the constituent Assembly polls as they see the possibility of his party winning a clear majority in the elections.

Addressing cadres of the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist at an election training programme in Chitwan today, Prachanda said that "foreign forces" are trying to foil the polls, hinting at the security concerns expressed by US ambassador to Nepal Nancy Powell during her meeting with Indian officials recently.

Powell had held detailed talks with Indian Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon in New Delhi earlier this week on the issues concerning Nepal. The uneasy situation in Terai region bordering India reportedly came up for particular discussion during the meeting. The US envoy is understood to have emphasised that Maoists should not monopolise the situation in Nepal.

Last month, Prachanda had accused "Hindu elements" in India of trying to sabotage the election by encouraging separatist outfits in the Terai. The Maoist supremo today claimed that with his partys position improving in the Terai plains, CPN-Maoist would win majority seats in the Constituent Assembly, the nepalnews online reported.

Prachanda is set to stand from two constituencies in the election that is expected to lead to Nepal being declared a republic, formally ending the 238-year-old monarchy in the country.

Source : PTI