Following the decision to postpone the summit talks to Friday, Maoist leaders have complained about the lack of seriousness among the seven parties.

Even as the government decided to postpone Thursday’s talks claiming it would be busy according formal funeral service to state minister Gopal Rai who perished in helicopter crash, Maoist leaders have pointed out at the apparent lack of homework and absence of concrete positions on crucial issues among the government and ruling seven parties.

“It is natural that the government and party leaders will be paying last tributes. But that does not mean the whole day has to be spent doing that,” complained Dev Gurung, a member of Maoist talks team. “We have seen that the seven party leaders are becoming prisoners of indecision. We are bound to become suspicious with this lingering tactics,” said Gurung.

Gurung added that the government had not yet formed its summit talks team as was agreed on during the recent informal meeting between the Prime Minister and Maoist chairman Prachanda.

Another Maoist leader Dinanath Sharma, who is also a member of Maoist talks team, added that while their party was ready and willing to sit for summit talks anytime, the government and the seven parties were still unable to reach to common positions on vital issues.

“The seven parties should first reach common position on issues like monarchy and then we can finalize it through the talks,” Sharma said.

Even though reports suggest that Thursday’s talks have been postponed for Friday, it is not officially confirmed yet. On Thursday, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala had directed Home Minister and coordinator of government talks team Krishna Sitaula and Nepali Congress central member Dr. Shekhar Koirala to prepare for (next) summit talks.