KATHMANDU: Nepal’s royalist government will go ahead with its plan to hold long-delayed municipal elections early next year despite threats from Maoist rebels to disrupt the vote, a senior minister has said.

“Preparations for the elections are complete and we’ll not be discouraged by the Maoist threat,” Home Minister Kamal Thapa told reporters.

“We are fully committed to hold the elections. We’ll fulfil our responsibility to ensure the people’s right to vote,” he said.

Thapa’s comments were the first government reaction since Maoist rebels last week threatened to take “special action” against officials and candidates in the Feb. 8 elections for 58 municipal assemblies across Nepal.

The Maoists, fighting to topple the Hindu monarchy in the Himalayan kingdom, have not explained their threat but are known for beating, kidnapping or killing people who disobey them.

Two Maoist guerrillas and a soldier were killed on Tuesday in fierce fighting in western Nepal, just days before a unilateral ceasefire declared by the rebels is due to expire on Jan. 2.

The gunbattle erupted after the rebels attacked an army patrol in the Maoist stronghold of Rolpa, 400 km west of Kathmandu.—Reuters