Nepal's Maoist chief, Prachanda, and some of his top deputies will not join an interim parliament as part of a landmark peace deal with the government, a rebel leader said yesterday.
The rebels and the multiparty government, headed by Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, are due to set up a provisional parliament on Monday under the deal which paves the way for the Maoists to disarm and later join an interim government.
"We have a policy that main leaders will not join the interim parliament or government," said Krishna Bahadur Mahara, chief Maoist negotiator and rebel spokesman, who will lead the rebels in the provisional legislature.
"They will stay out and work among the people for the party," he said.
The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) will control at least 73 seats in the 330-member interim parliament, which will include 209 members of the existing legislature and 48 members of the public selected by the two sides through consensus.
Prachanda and his senior deputy, Baburam Bhattarai, had already said they would not join the interim government.
Mahara said the 52-year-old rebel chief, whose nom de guerre roughly translates as "fierce" or "strong," would prepare the party for elections for a constituent assembly, expected in June.
"It is the party that is more important and the chairman will work for it," Mahara said.
The rebels have vowed radical redistribution of land and wealth in the impoverished country but say the interim parliament and administration will be unable to implement that agenda fully.
That, they say, is a key reason why Prachanda must keep his distance from parliament.
The elevation of communist rebels into the legislature comes after they last year declared a cease-fire, entered peace talks and signed a peace accord with the government.
The temporary charter is to remain in place until a special assembly to be elected this year can prepare a permanent one.
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