Koirala says 'real war' has just begun

Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala on Monday said "the real war" has just started in the country, and clarified that it will be a war for [upholding] democracy.

"The real war has just started and it will be for democracy. The Maoists have only won the first round of a battle. It should not befool itself thinking that it has won the entire war," he said speaking to a select group of journalists at his residence in Biratnagar where he has gone to take a break from his busy schedule in Kathmandu.

The former Prime Minister, however, said that his party might consider joining the coalition government headed by the Maoists if the latter implements all the past agreements and understandings it has done.

Koirala's daughter and party leader Sujata Koirala had also hinted at the same thing while talking at a programme in Makwanpur Sunday.

She said that the party is even ready to "assist the government" if the Maoists makes an "enabling atmosphere" by implementing past understandings.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal had hinted at the possibility of cabinet expansion and claimed that the main opposition had sent feelers suggesting it was willing to join the 23-member cabinet.

However, contradicting the father-daughter remarks, NC acting president Sushil Koirala and party spokesperson Arjun Narsingh KC have said that the party will not join the government by any chance and that it will stay on in the opposition. nepalnews.com ag Mar 23 09