Kathmandu: Analyzing the two-way strong-worded statements emanating from the government and the Maoist quarters in the recent days, specially after the two met a couple of days back in Hapure, what becomes more than clear is that a “war” is imminent in between the two.

The fact is that the two antagonists have been fighting each other but the scale of war is however limited one.

All that both need is to declare a sort of full-scale war which is what they haven’t done so far.

Panic is there among the population which is understandable.

What are adding fuel to the fire are the contradictory speeches being made by the so-called “facilitators”. The facilitators appear more like politicians and speaking the voices of either the government or for that matter the Maoists which they were neither permitted nor should be allowed to do so.

Analysts conclude that the facilitators have done more harms to the talks than contributing to the peace-process for which they have been honored with the post. But who is to tame these wild facilitators!

The last statement issued by Dr. Babu Ram Bhattarai claims that his insurgency would not settle for less anything than “constituent assembly”.

The government says it would not go to that extent. However, the government hastens to add that it was still ready to talk on some possible “alternatives” that is at par with what the Maoists have been demanding prior to the next round of talks with the government.

Dr. Bhattarai is adamant on his agenda and says that it is futile to attend the talks with the government in the absence of government agreeing to the constituent assembly.

The government at best, it appears, could talk on some other political schemes that is close to the Maoists bottom-line but not the constituent assembly.

This means that both the negotiating parties appear to agree to disagree with each other, as both remain adamant on their declared stances. The deadlock continues thus which might catapult into a grave situation if wisdom doesn’t prevail on both the sides.

That the Maoists will not come to the table unless they are assured that the other camp will agree to the constituent assembly schemes is sure. What is also sure is that the government might go to the extent that it might agree to the Maoists agenda making it a “conditional one”. The government has reiterated that it might listen to the Maoists agenda for the constituent assembly provided they agree to the continuation of the constitutional monarchy, democratic system and preservation of Human Rights and the likes. The fact is that the government team doesn’t have the mandate to initiate talks with the Maoists on their agenda which apparently wishes to curtail the powers of the monarchy and prefer a new constitution instead of the 1990 constitution.

“It is unthinkable as to how a monarch who enjoys considerable power and authority would agree to hand-over his powers and authority simply because the Maoists have demanded so from him”, questioned a political scientist.

He further says that the Maoists must explain the raison d’ etre of their one point agenda and that being of the constituent assembly. In effect this is what the government is also seeking clarification from the rebellions which so far they have not furnished.

Be that as it may, the political parties who oppose Maoists demand for a constituent assembly must have come to their senses when they read Dr. Bhattarai’s statement wherein he says that he would not attend the talks unless the government agreed to talk on constituent assembly.

The ground reality is that the Maoists have not abandoned the path of violence. What is also true is that the security forces too have been on one pretext or the other chasing the Maoists. The killings from both the sides continue.

The murky politics of the country will take a shape, good or bad, when the five agitating parties will stage demonstrations in Kathmandu. Much will depend on how the apparently “dissatisfied” and “angry” Maoists will take up the demonstrations of the agitating five. If they join the demonstrations organized by the agitating five would have disastrous consequences. If they don’t, the demonstrations will have practically less impact than what is being given to understand. However, the government strongly believes that the Maoists might join the agitation and hence has been charting plans in order to keep the demonstrations under its control security wise.

Nevertheless, the days ahead are not that smooth politically speaking.