In 2006, the Maoist party ended its guerrilla insurgency and returned to mainstream politics after which they won the election last year and led the government for eight months.

Maoist sympathisers in France are urging the Sarkozy government to grant Shova asylum, saying that since the fall of the Maoist government in May, the situation has become tense in Nepal.

They also allege that the Nepal Army, the Maoists' arch enemy during the 10-year civil war, is vying for a bigger place in politics and yet another civil war may erupt in future.

Though Shova's supporters in France say that Maoists are the target of killings, rape and torture, many of the killings and maimings committed after the signing of the peace pact are actually blamed on the former rebels.

Shova's father C.P. Gajural was not available for comments.

Gajurel was caught in India's Chennai Airport during the insurgency while trying to fly out to Germany on forged documents. He was jailed for three years and freed after the signing of the peace pact in 2006.