As soon as the results of the vote counting started coming out from around the country, the Election Bureau meeting of the UCPN-Maoist called its representatives from the vote counting venues at mid-night of November 20. After asking them to withdraw from the polling sites, UCPN-Maoist chairman Pushpakamal Dahal spoke to media persons about its decision.

Your party has faced a humiliating defeat in the election, was not it a failure of your leadership?

It is not only the question of leadership, it is a question of the overall fraud during the elections. We have not been saying this just by looking at the vote counting in Kathmandu. We have been receiving messages from all over the country regarding the rigging in the elections. We took part in the elections not that we would secure the first position. We believe in a democratic spirit and the Constituent Assembly.

Threatening to boycott the elections, are you demanding another election?

We are not demanding another election. What we are demanding is a review of the election process. Our conclusion is that the elections are unfair and biased. If the review is not done, there is no question about joining the CA. We are clear on that.

Is it just a drama to join Vaidyaji? How do you see the possibility of joining the hands with Vaidyaji?

Our decision has nothing to do with joining the hands with Vaidyaji. Our opposition is against rigging and fraud in the elections.

Why did your party hastily pull out from the process?

We have recalled all our representatives from the counting centers after the Election Commission declined to positively respond to our decisions. We have got evidences of how ballot boxes were changed and the seal label on it smashed. There are many ballot papers which are more like fake ones. Our representatives from throughout the country repeatedly raised the issue of tampering of ballot box and ballot paper. Nobody listened to us. Out of our expectations, this election is unfair and bias. Since the elections results and elections are against the 12 point agreement, comprehensive peace agreement, they must declared null and another free and fair fresh elections should be held.

How do you international reactions?

I don't have to say anything about the reactions of international and national observer groups. So far as voting is concerned, it is fair. However, the ballot boxes are tampered only after the voting or during the time of collection. Even Nepal Army and Armed Police Forces did not allow representatives of our party.

What would your party's stand be in case the EC continues the process?

Our party will refrain from the constitution drafting process if the polls are not reviewed. There was rampant rigging, both seen and unseen, all over the country in a well-planned manner. This is not the verdict of the people. This is the verdict of the fraudulent ones.

Did not the Election Commission listen to your demand?

It is unfortunate that the Election Commission even directed our party agents to accept even the boxes with broken seals, containing ballot papers that were not properly kept or those packed with an unusual number of ballot papers.

Does that mean your party will not be involved in the election process?

There is no question to get involved in the constitution drafting process. Since this election was a great conspiracy against the UCPN-Maoist, the change agent of 2006-07 people’s agitation, Madhesh Andolan and People's War, we cannot take part in it. All forces are united against us. 

However, international elections observer groups and national observers have termed the elections free and fair. How do you look at this?

They have done their job. It is not mandatory for us to accept what they said. They don't understand how the ballot boxes and ballot papers are tampered.

It means your party will not accept verdict?

Our party will not accept the results because they are contradictory to the aspirations of the people. We have got proof that international power centers had conspired to defeat UCPN-Maoist.

Does it mean your party will pull out from the peace process?

Despite the major setback, our party has no intention to pull out from the peace process based on 12-points agreement.