Unified CPN (Maoist) Vice-Chairman Narayan Kazi Shrestha has said that the government should now be prepared to face the 'grave consequences' of the month-long nationwide agitation Maoists are waging to restore 'civilian supremacy' and national sovereignty.

Speaking at a press meet organized by Tamuwan State Council in Pokhara Monday, Shrestha, who is also the deputy parliamentary party leader of the UCPN (Maoist), said that the Maoists have also started the protest movement to exert pressure (on the government) for integration of former Maoist combatants into Nepal Army, timely drafting of constitution and taking the ongoing peace process to its desired conclusion.

He also hinted that the Maoist agitation might be the beginning of the 'third People's movement ', if the aforementioned demands are not met.

The second people's movement waged by various political parties including ruling CPN-UML, Nepali Congress and Maoists had toppled the royal regime in 2006.

He blasted at the 'reactionary forces', the usual Maoist punch bag, "for trying to impose traditional parliamentary system in the country against the people's wishes, wanting foreign intervention to continue, not wanting to see integration of Maoist combatants into NA and favouring military supremacy over civilian supremacy".

"While continuing our agitation against all this, we would also keep the doors for consensus and cooperation open," he said.

Shrestha said Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal's statement that the government will suppress the Maoist agitation if it threatens to turn into a 'people's revolt' is very careless and will only push the country towards more confrontation.

He again reiterated that the Maoists will under no circumstances join the 'puppet government' led by UML.

The Maoist party had announced stir from Friday with the expiry of the four-day ultimatum to the government to address the contentious issues of 'civilian supremacy', including what it called 'unconstitutional move' of the President  vis-à-vis the Army chief row.

The main opposition party had staged demonstrations in different parts of the country Sunday as part of its month-long protest movement.

In Kathmandu, Maoist leaders and cadres took out demonstration rallies. Similar demonstrations were organised outside the capital. There were no reports of violence or arrests during the largely peaceful Maoist demonstrations. nepalnews.com