By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : Even as Nepal’s Crown Prince Paras was discharged from hospital after an emergency heart operation, illness is now stalking the royal family’s arch enemy, Maoist chief Prachanda, causing his party to put off a crucial meet at the last minute.
Prachanda, in his 50s, had an ECG and a medical examination after he complained of unease Tuesday. The rebel chief, who had remained underground till last year and carried a high price tag on his head, is under medication for high blood pressure. In addition, he has also been complaining of neck pain.
With four days left for their ultimatum to quit the government, the Maoists had planned to hold a round table conference in the capital from Thursday. The meet was meant to garner support for their demand to abolish monarchy immediately without waiting for the election in November.
However, the crucial meet was postponed indefinitely after Prachanda was reported to be unwell.
“We have deferred the conference for a couple of days as our party chairman is indisposed,” Barsha Man Pun aka Ananta, deputy commander of the Maoist People’s Liberation Army, told IANS.
The Maoist chief had been on a hectic tour of the outer districts recently to urge cadres to gear up for a new revolt.
Prachanda’s illness comes on the eve of the Maoists’ new “peaceful revolt” scheduled to start from Tuesday.
The guerrillas, who had earlier agreed to take part in the election in November and let voters decide if they wanted to keep the monarchy or opt for a republic, have now changed their stand.
Last month, they submitted 22 demands to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, asking him to abolish the crown through a parliamentary proclamation before the election.
They also asked the government to hold a round table conference with all parties and protesting communities so that all demands could be addressed in one go.
They warned Koirala that if the demands were not met by Sep 17, they would leave the government and start a new protest that would include indefinite general strikes.
However, with the government ignoring the warning, the cornered rebels finally decided to call the round table conference themselves.
The response, reports said, was poor with only fringe parties and organisations agreeing to attend the meet.
The scenario in Nepal is at its unhealthiest, currently.
Prime Minister Koirala is chronically ill, often failing to attend the state functions usurped from the king. At least five ministers were diagnosed with jaundice and other illnesses.
King Gyanendra was said to be suffering from high blood pressure and depression following the fall of his government and the scrapping of his power and privileges.
Last Thursday, Crown Prince Paras had a major heart attack and had to be operated upon to improve the flow of blood.