The former rebels embarked on a campaign including strikes and demonstrations, aimed at derailing the constituent assembly polls on November 22 to form a body to frame a constitution and decide the fate of the 238-year old monarchy.

The Maoists have quit the government and announced three-week-long protests after Prime Minister Koirala rejected their demand for declaring Nepal a republic immediately.

“We are starting our door-to-door campaign and now we aim to bring about a republic from street protests,” said top Maoist leader Ananta.

“All our sister organisations will be mobilised from Wednesday to ensure the constituent assembly elections are unsuccessful,” said Ananta, a member of the Maoist central committee and deputy commander of their militia.
Prime Minister Koirala has called an emergency meeting of the ruling alliance to end the current deadlock.
Peace and Reconstruction Minister Ramchandra Poudyal said an emergency meeting would be held at the Prime Minister's residence today.

CPN-UML leader Jhalanath Khanal said the top leaders of the eight parties, including the Maoists, have agreed to meet again on Wednesday to end the current deadlock.

Meanwhile, the seven-party alliance leaders have termed the Maoists decision to kick start an agitation and disrupt the polls as a move that would ultimately benefit the king and the “regressive forces”.
“It is ridiculous that a party that raised the demand for constituent assembly polls for a decade now wanted to quit at the final stage,” said Poudyal.

Nepali Congress (Democratic) vice-president Gopalman Shrestha said the Maoists should not backtrack from the polls as it would only benefit the pro-king forces.

The government has been saying that abolition of the monarchy through the legislature as per Maoists demand would not get international recognition without going to the polls.

Earlier, the eight-party alliance including the Maoists had agreed to abolish the monarchy through the Constituent Assembly. Later, however, the Maoists changed their stance.

The Maoists joined Nepal's parliament in January and the government in April.