Kathmandu: Nepal's Maoist chief Prachanda sought direct talks on Saturday with Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala to end the decade-old revolt but demanded release of all Maoist prisoners before the dialogue.
He also said in a statement a special assembly should be elected that should turn Nepal, the world's only Hindu kingdom, into a "secular state". If the talks are held, it would be the first time Prachanda, or the "terrible one", would appear in public.
Prachanda did not give any date for the proposed talks. There was no immediate comment from Koirala or his government but the response was expected to be positive.
Prachanda has led a war against the Hindu monarchy in Nepal in which more than 13,000 people have been killed.
In his statement, the militant chief also warned the government not to rescind from an agreement they reached in a loose deal against King Gyanendra last November - the key point of which is a special assembly be elected to prepare a new constitution.
"If the government goes against the 12-point understanding and aspirations of the people for a republic there will be a fresh popular revolt led by the Maoist party," he said.
The government has already agreed to assembly elections. Nepal has been quiet for more than two weeks after a year of protests against King Gyanendra who sacked an elected government in February 2005, saying it had failed to curb the Maoist revolt.
However, last month, he finally gave in to daily street protests, reinstated parliament and handed power back to the political parties.
At least 17 people were killed and thousands wounded in the protests. Koirala has since offered peace talks to the Maoists and also matched their ceasefire, which the king had earlier rejected.
On Friday, the government detained five ministers in the former royalist government, bowing to demands of pro-democracy activists to act against those responsible for the crackdown on anti-monarchy protests.
It also suspended eight top police officers.
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