Kamal Dahal (Prachanda) of the organization formally known as the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), says that the party will lead a general strike. The announcement was made during a May Day rally attended by hundreds of thousands of workers.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos
17:51 Mecca time, 14:51 GMT
Nepal Maoists call general strike
Dahal said the nationwide strike would be 'peaceful' and that the Maoists were open to dialogue
Nepal's Maoists have announced a general strike beginning on Sunday after the country's prime minister refused to heed calls for him to step down.
At least 150,000 people had gathered in Kathmandu, the capital, on Saturday to show their support for the Maoists' demand.
"We're compelled to call for an indefinite strike from tomorrow because of the government's lack of concern about taking the peace and constitution-making processes forward," Pushpa Kamal Dahal, the Maoist leader, told the crowd.
Dahal, also known by his nom de guerre Prachanda, promised that the nationwide shutdown would be "peaceful" and the "door for dialogue" remained open.
Dahal briefly led a coalition government after winning polls in 2008, but resigned from government last year when he was prevented from dismissing the army chief.
The Maoists still hold the largest number of seats in parliament.
Political impasse
Madhav Kumar Nepal, the country's prime minister, said that bringing the nation to a halt would do nothing to strengthen democracy and appealed to the Maoists, formally called the Communist Party of Nepal, to call off the strike.
"Shutting down the nation is not the way to find a solution to this impasse," he said in a live television address.
"All-party consensus is the only alternative that will pave the way forward."
About 15,000 riot police were deployed across Kathmandu for Saturday's protest, but the event passed without violence.
Demonstrators waved red flags and chanted "dissolve this puppet government and set up a national government".
Shops and businesses were closed and residents were stockpiling food in fear that supplies might run short in the event of a national shutdown.
As demonstrators were massing for the rally, the Maoists were meeting representatives of other major parties to try to break the political deadlock.
Karin Landgren, the chief of United Nations peace mission in Nepal, said she had met Maoists leaders to appeal for peaceful resolution.
"I am deeply concerned that despite these peaceful intentions, potential spoilers of the peace process could provoke a clash," Landgren said on Friday.
The Maoists fought government troops until 2006 when they gave up their decade-old uprising and joined a peace process.
Source: Al Jazeera and agencies
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