Kathmandu - Former Maoist rebels say they could still form a new government provided three pre-conditions are met, official media reported Sunday.

The Communist Party of Nepal could still form the new government by proving majority in the Nepalese assembly, Maoist leader Prachanda said in an interview with the official Gorkhapatra newspaper.

"More than 20 of the 25 parties represented in the assembly hold the view that we should lead the next government," Prachanda said. "There is still a strong possibility that the Maoists could lead the next government."

Prachanda's latest statement was a complete turn round from his position just days ago in which he said his party would not stake its claim on the new government, following the defeat of its candidate in the presidential elections.

A three-party alliance led by the Nepali Congress party defeated the Maoists in last week's presidential vote.

Prachanda warned that his party would take to the streets if the incumbent Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala was once again confirmed to the post.

"The people have established the Maoists as the largest party in the assembly but forces opposed to us are making efforts to stop us from leading the next government," Prachanda said. "This is serious disregard of the people's mandate."

The Maoists set three pre-conditions for forming a government, including an end of the three-party alliance.

However, Nepali Congress and two other parties in the alliance have already rejected the Maoist pre-condition

The Maoist with 205 seats emerged as the biggest party in the constituent assembly following April election but without a majority.

They need the support of either the Nepali Congress or the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) to obtain a majority to form the government.

However, relations between the Maoists and the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML have been strained since the presidential election, when the two parties came together and proposed their own candidate.

The Maoists gave up their decade-long communist insurgency after deposed king Gyanendra's government fell in April 2006. (dpa)