Maoist another communist problem for Bush

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 14 April: US President George W Bush has another communist headache with Maoists poised to takeover government with imminent victory in Thursday’s election for the 6601-member constituent assembly.
Maoists are leading in elections and leader Dr Baburam Bhattarai has already staked a claim to form government even before incomplete results.
Maoists are still on the US Maoist terrorist list.
Washington first refused to fund a government in which Maoists were included but later changed policy and denied funds only to minitrie sled by them.
When assembly elections then were delayed three times, Washington then withheld aid until elections.
India has welcomed the Maoist victory and its Ambassador Shib Shankar Mukherjee has declared New Delhi’s readiness to work with Maoists.
Washington and USA are coordinating their Nepal policy.
”It is should have come earlier when we entered the peace process. It was unfortunate and laughable after entering the peace process,” foreign policy expert of CPN (Maoist) CP Gajaurel said in reply whether Maoists were expecting the US tag will be removed after the party’s victory.
Maoists have bagged 100 of 179 of declared seats while Congress, CPN and Madesh Janaadhikar Forum have collected 20, 24 and 17 seats respectively.
China has and Great Britain have also welcomed election results.
Former US President Jimmy Carter who visited as an election observer as chief of Carter Center criticized the Bush administration for not withdrawing the terrorist tag after Maoists joined the mainstream.
India’s top national security official pushed a victory by Congress of Premier Koirala.
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