Maoists to sit in Opposition, 'uneasy situation' ahead: Prachanda

Kathmandu, Jul 22 (PTI) Maoist chief Prachanda, till recently a strong contender for Premiership, today said his party will sit in the opposition after its crushing defeat in Nepal's historic presidential poll, warning the new political equation would lead the country to an "uneasy situation".The victory of the tripartite alliance -- Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF) -- in yesterday's presidential poll would lead the country to an uneasy situation, Prachanda said after the Maoists' central secretariat meeting.He said that after the defeat of his party's presidential candidate Ram Raja Prasa Singh at the hands of NC-led tripartite alliance's Ram Baran Yadav, the Maoists, who had emerged the largest group in the April 10 polls but fell short of simple majority, would sit in the opposition on moral grounds.Prachanda also claimed that India was in favour of outgoing Prime Minister G P Koirala becoming the first President of republic Nepal, which his party was opposed to.He charged that the reactionary forces and foreign elements were hell-bent on stopping the Maoists from taking over the leadership of the new government. He, however, said the Maoists would open their door to some degree for cooperation.NC candidate Yadav, who bagged 308 votes, defeated Singh by a margin of 25 votes in the Presidential poll run-off in the 594-member Constituent Assembly yesterday. PTI