<p>Maoist supremo Prachanda, Nepal's most powerful politician, was today slapped by a young activist, believed to be a supporter of his own party, in full public view.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The incident took place during a tea reception hosted by 57-year-old Prachanda's UCPN (Maoist) party to mark the festivals of 'Deepawali', 'Chhath' and Nepalese New Year here.<br /><br />A 25-year-old youth, identified as Pawan Kunwar from Baglung district of western Nepal, slapped Prachanda at the function, according to eye witnesses.<br /><br />Prachanda's spectacles flew off his face after he was slapped, they said.<br />Soon after, Maoist cadres attacked Kunwar, who got seriously injured, before police took him into custody.<br /><br />Prachanda, a former Prime Minister, had led a decade-long war in the country against monarchy that claimed 16,000 lives, before the Maoists joined mainstream politics.<br /><br />Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai and other senior leaders of various political parties, including Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala, CPN-UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal, Madhesi Peoples' Rights Forum Nepal (MPRFN) President Upendra Yadav, were invited to the tea reception.<br /><br />On the occasion, leaders from the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and MPRF-Nepal stressed the need to form a national unity government and forge consensus and collaboration among the parties to conduct fresh elections and promulgate the Constitution at the earliest.<br /><br />They also slammed the Maoist party and the caretaker government led by Bhattarai for failing to hold fresh elections as per their commitment to resolve the current political crisis.<br /><br />Nepal has plunged into a deeper political and constitutional crisis as the Constituent Assembly was dissolved in May without promulgating the Constitution.</p>
<p>Maoist supremo Prachanda, Nepal's most powerful politician, was today slapped by a young activist, believed to be a supporter of his own party, in full public view.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The incident took place during a tea reception hosted by 57-year-old Prachanda's UCPN (Maoist) party to mark the festivals of 'Deepawali', 'Chhath' and Nepalese New Year here.<br /><br />A 25-year-old youth, identified as Pawan Kunwar from Baglung district of western Nepal, slapped Prachanda at the function, according to eye witnesses.<br /><br />Prachanda's spectacles flew off his face after he was slapped, they said.<br />Soon after, Maoist cadres attacked Kunwar, who got seriously injured, before police took him into custody.<br /><br />Prachanda, a former Prime Minister, had led a decade-long war in the country against monarchy that claimed 16,000 lives, before the Maoists joined mainstream politics.<br /><br />Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai and other senior leaders of various political parties, including Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala, CPN-UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal, Madhesi Peoples' Rights Forum Nepal (MPRFN) President Upendra Yadav, were invited to the tea reception.<br /><br />On the occasion, leaders from the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and MPRF-Nepal stressed the need to form a national unity government and forge consensus and collaboration among the parties to conduct fresh elections and promulgate the Constitution at the earliest.<br /><br />They also slammed the Maoist party and the caretaker government led by Bhattarai for failing to hold fresh elections as per their commitment to resolve the current political crisis.<br /><br />Nepal has plunged into a deeper political and constitutional crisis as the Constituent Assembly was dissolved in May without promulgating the Constitution.</p>