Would things be any better if the political parties were not to make an alliance (in theory) with the rebels ? Before the alliance it was a three-some gang-bang and now it looks like it will be a two way war. Both the Rebels and the political parties will benefit from this alliance. Previously, the party leaders and karyakartas were basically locked up around KTM and other main cities because they would not dare to visit their "chunabi chetraas" as the Maoists would shoot them in the ass of those netaas and karyakartaas. Now after the agreement these Netaas and Karyakartass will be less fearful (at least in theory). On the other hand, the rebels can now make believe to some people that their age old demand of "republican state" was after all an appropriate and relevant one right from the begining since the political parties have been crying for one for some time now.