The acting general secretary of the CPN-UML, Amrit Kumar Bohara, said that the seven-party alliance is engaged in talks with the Maoists to persuade them to withdraw their blockade of the district headquarters and an indefinite nationwide general strike and cooperate with the alliance’s peaceful agitation against ‘autocracy.’

“We have asked the Maoists to call off the blockade and the general strike and abide by the 12-point understanding reached with the alliance,” report quoted Bohara as saying while addressing a gathering of Kathmandu valley cadres of the party on Saturday.

Bohara said the blockade and the strike would only help the government in suppressing the alliance’s capital-centred agitation and non-cooperation campaigns to be launched after April 8.

Meanwhile speaking at an interaction in the capital on Sunday, leaders of various political parties said discussions were on about implementing the 12-point pact between seven political parties and Maoists.

CPN-UML leader Subas Nemwang said Maoist pressure cannot deviate the seven political parties from its peaceful agitation.

He said the Maoists should call back their calls of blockade and Nepal bandh for the implementation of the agreement.

Speaking at the same programme, general secretary of People’s Front Nepal Nava Raj Subedi claimed there was no possibility of turning back from the 12-point understanding.

However, leaders of Nepal Sadbhawana Party Rajendra Mahato and Nanda Kumar Prasai of Leftist Front complained that their parties did not have any information about the talks being held in New Delhi.

They charged the big parties of the alliance for holding talks with the Maoists without holding discussion in the alliance.

Maoists have been imposing three week long blockade from Tuesday.