Maoist leader Prachanda "has called for street protests so of course we have beefed up the security on the streets," a government minister told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The rebels told AFP that they had brought in up to 3,000 disabled members of the "People's Liberation Army" for a commemoration meeting of veterans injured in the 10-year insurgency.

"The government might have seen our veteran fighters and increased security because of them," said Krishna Bahadur Mahara, the rebel spokesman.

"At present we are not planning any protest programmes, as we are still in the talks process," he added.

The flood of veterans came after Prachanda told a rally in the capital on Saturday that mass protests could ensue if rebel demands for the election of a body to rewrite the country's constitution were not met.