KATHMANDU, Oct 18 – Senior Nepali Congress (NC) leader Krishna Prasad Bhattarai said that he was glad the government managed to move the army against the Maoist rebel but at the same time he was not happy with the government’s pace of development.

“The decision to use the army is fully justifiable…I am very glad the prime minister succeeded in mobilizing the army,” Bhattarai told reporters today at his residence at Bhainsepati.

The government recently decided to mobilize the army at over a dozen districts after the Maoist rebels intensified their attacks and launched a daring offensive attacking Dunai, the district headquarters of Dolpa when at least 14 policemen were killed. Two days later an additional eight police personnel were killed in Lamjung.

This is the first time that Bhattarai has commented on the government’s decision to use the army to control insurgency. Bhattarai was ousted from office earlier this year accusing him of failing to control the Maoists.

“The Nepali Congress has failed to move development of the country in the pace and speed that is should and the people are expressing discontent over it,” Bhattarai said adding that he too as a leader of NC feels responsible for it.

He said he doubts the government’s claim that the economic growth rate is about six percent. “I have grave doubt that is the correct figure, if it was really true I would be really satisfied,” he said. “People had big expectations from NC before the elections but now it has been realized.”

He, however, refused to directly criticize the government led by his long time friend-turned-foe Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala.

“If Girija Prasad Koirala fails to deliver the goods then there could be someone else who can. There could be a stage when the party could use that (changing leaders). And there is already talks of Sher Bahadur Deuba as the next in line of leaders,” Bhattarai said adding that the party would complete the five years tenure in power.

In August, a group of NC lawmakers supporting Bhattarai rebelled against Koirala and launched a signature campaign to oust him from office. In the days that followed, Koirala bowed down to the pressure and agreed to four of the five demands put forth by the rebels temporarily calming down the situation in party.

Among the things agreed were reshuffle in the cabinet to include equal number of ministers from both the factions. That is yet to take place with Bhattarai refusing to hand over the list of his choice of people.

But more important has been issue of renewing active membership of NC activists. The rebels continue to blame Koirala camp of violating agreement and adding new members who are supporters of Koirala while refusing to renew the membership of the old members from the rebel camp.

These members choose the nearly 1300 General Convention members who elect party officials including the coveted party president.

“During my meeting with the prime minister I told him about reports on the active membership issue and we are holding a Central Working Committee meeting next week,” he said.