Home Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka said Saturday that the Maoist would be welcomed if they surrendered their arms and came forward to take part in the mid term elections slated for November 13, media reports from Rautahat said.

Talking to journalists at Garuda of Rautahat, Khadka said the Maoists would have to face a big setback if they failed to brace towards peace talks or for the elections. He claimed that the Maoists’ prowess had been badly shaken after the declaration of emergency in November last year.

“As the emergency is still on the Maoists have no options other than to surrender their arms,” Khadka said. He said the government had already made the necessary preparations to hold the mid term elections in November in a free, fair and impartial manner.

“Those who do not have the peoples’ support have been making a hue and cry and have been saying that the elections will not be held,” he said.