Maoists withdraw blockade (1:20 pm)

The Maoists have withdrawn the blockade of the Kathmandu valley and other district headquarters until Friday.

A statement issued by the Maoists said they called off the blockade till the first meeting of the reinstated House of Representatives (HoR) considering the appeal of Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala to do so.

The party has said that it will continue the blockades if the first meeting of the parliament did not take the decision of holding election of the constituent assembly unconditionally and other positive decisions.

The Maoists called the blockade from Tuesday expressing dissatisfaction over the reinstatement of the HoR, instead of holding the election of the constituent assembly.

King Gyanendra reinstated the dissolved HoR on Monday as per the demand of the agitating seven political parties.

Earlier, in a statement, Koirala has urged the Maoists to call off the general strike in the wake of the new political development of the country.

The SPA selected Koirala for the post of Prime Minister of the reinstated HoR.

The SPA also decided that the main agenda of the reinstated parliament would be to hold elections to the constituent assembly to draft a new constitution. nepalnews.com pb Apr 26 06