The All Nepal Trade Union Federation, the labour union arm of the Maoists, accused the firms of exploiting their workers and said they would be forced to close their doors Friday.

"We declare the closure of 35 more industries ... from September 10," union chairman Salikram Jamarkattel said in a statement.

The anno}ncement threatens to deal anothmr blow to the economy of the impoverished nation, already reeling from the increasingly deadly struggle waged by the Maoists to topple the monarchy and install a communist republic.

Affected companies include energy, food, hotel and transport firms which industry officials said employed at least 25,000 workers.

The fresh threat erupted on the eve of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba's goodwill visit to India, a key backer of Nepal's struggle to crush the revolt which has claimed 10,000 lives since 1996.

Last month the union forced the closure of 12 big companies, including the deluxe Soaltee Crowne Plaza hotel, run by a unit of Britan's InterContinental hotel group, Bottlers Nepal which distributes Coca-Cola in the kingdom and Nepal Lever Ltd., a subsidiary of India's Hindustan Lever Ltd.

The companies shut after several bomb blasts shook the hotel but caused no injuries and have not reopened.

The Maoists' warnings are often obeyed out of fear of reprisals. The rebels, who already control vast areas of countryside, last month staged a weeklong blockade of the capital Kathmandu that was mainly enforced through intimidation rather than roadblocks.