Government Thursday withdrew a terrorist label against Maoists to pave the way for peace talks to end a  bloody communist insurgency described as the only civil war on-going in the world.

The government of Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand  withdrew a price tag fixed on the heads of senior rebel leaders, Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda, Dr. Baburam Bhattarai and red corner notices against top Maoists announced through the INTERPOL last year by the government of former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.

“Taking the government’s decision positively, the Party has decided to observe a cease-fire with immediate effect, and its willingness to participate in talks,” Prachanda said in a statement. The cabinet secretariat said government reciprocated to ‘”overtures to resolve the Maoist problem through talks after both sides agreed to an immediate cease-fire.”

The Maoists previously called for an interim government, a republic and a constituent assembly to draft a new constitution as pre-conditions for talks.

The Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML said they will launch a joint movement against the King’s October 4 dismissal of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba after assuming executive powers; the action was unconstitutional, they said.

The fate of the proposed movement is now uncertain after the fresh developments. The cease-fire comes immediately after King Gyanendra was free following the marriage this month of his only daughter, Princess Prearana to Kumar Raj Bahadur Singh.