Kathmandu, Sept 21: Faced with an unrelenting opposition and stepped up Maoist attacks, Nepal's ruling party today called for establishment of an all-party government in the country, saying all "constitutional forces" had to join hands to bring the rebels back to the negotiating table. "All the constitutional forces, including the agitating parties and the monarch, should come together and make joint efforts in order to bring back the rebels to the peace process," Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) president Pashupati Shumsher Rana told reporters here.

The opposition parties have been agitating for months for restoration of democracy in the Himalayan kingdom, which has been a spate of violent incidents since the rebels called off a seven-month-long ceasefire last month. "An all-party government based on national consensus is the only way out of the present political impasse," Rana said.

"As both the agitating political parties and the government have shown positive indications by being sensitive to the present crisis, I believe that the door for consensus has opened," he added.

Rana said the Maoists were trying to divide the constitutional forces by taking a tough stand against the government on the one hand and adopting a soft stand towards the opposition parties on the other. "There is no other means than resumption of dialogue with the rebels as continuation of violence cannot solve the problem," he said.

Rana also condemned recent Maoist attacks on workers of his party.

Bureau Report