Maoist vice chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha ‘Prakash’ has said his party’s May 1 demonstrations to press the government step down and pave way for formation of a national unity government will be peaceful.

Speaking at a face-to-face programme organised here on Friday, he said the objective of the agitation is to pile pressure on the government to pave way for new consensus government formation under the leadership of Maoist chairman Prachanda to complete the peace process and draft a new constitution.

He warned the government not to suppress the movement. He vented ire at the government for dilly-dallying to send a letter to the UN Security Council for extending the tenure of UNMIN.

He called the government a total failure in finding a way out of the political deadlock, and ensuring peace and security.

Responding to a query, Shreshta said explosive devices recovered from a Sundhara guesthouse did not belong to the party and the persons involved in it were his party cadres.

He claimed that the Maoist movement is not for power, but for the logical conclusion of the peace process and completion of the constitution making process. He said the party has formally decided that party chairman Prachanda, and nobody else, will lead the future government.

Likewise, Vice chairman of Unified CPN (Maoist) Dr. Baburam Bhattarai on Friday assured that the Maoist protest on Saturday would be peaceful.

Speaking at a press meet, Bhattarai said that the rallies will begin from 18 various places and pass through major thoroughfares before converging into a mass meeting at Ratnapark.

Around five lakh workers will be participating in the rallies, Bhattarai claimed.

Unified CPN (Maoist) is organizing a massive mass meeting on the occasion of May Day.