KATHMANDU, March 26: Prime Minister KP Oli has said that the government will detain all the leaders of the Netra Bikram Chand-led semi-underground splinter Maoist party by mid-April.

Addressing a parliamentary party meeting of the ruling Communist Party Nepal (CPN) on Monday, Oli said the government will intensify its hunt for the CPN leaders if they didn't choose a peaceful path.

“If the party doesn't join mainstream politics through a peaceful process, the government will mainstream its leaders through jail,” said Oli.

Following the bomb blast at Ncell in Lalitpur last month and intelligence reports of the Chand party's plans to target top leaders of the ruling party, the government has launched a crackdown, prohibiting the party's activities and arresting its leaders and cadres.

The government is accelerating its hunt for Chand party leaders ahead of the investment summit slated for Friday. Accusing the Maoist splinter outfit of terrorizing academic institutions to extort donations and carrying out criminal activities under the banner of a communist party, Oli reiterated that the government will leave no stone unturned to curb the activities of the breakaway Maoists.

During the meeting, Oli also instructed lawmakers to come up with suggestions from the people for the annual budget of the next fiscal year. “We will continue with the policy and programs of the past year but the budget format will be changed to better suit the federal structure of the country,” he said . “You (lawmakers) should come up with suggestions for the budget after listening to the people.”

Oli instructed the party's lawmakers to spread word among the people about the work of the government, to refute do-nothing accusations leveled by the opposition .

 
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