Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba visited the western garrison town of Sandikharka, the site of one of the attacks, on Tuesday to pay his respects to the families of the dead.

The premier has met chiefs of the security forces... and asked them to be more vigilant and adopt more effective strategies to counter the rebels

Nepalese radio

His government will decide on Wednesday whether to reimpose a state of emergency to counter the escalating rebel violence.

There has been a marked upsurge in attacks since the emergency was lifted two weeks ago ahead of general elections in November.

One minister, Devendra Raj Kandel, told the BBC it was "inevitable" emergency rule would now be reimposed.

The authorities would regain sweeping powers to fight the insurgency, but many people fear free and fair elections would be impossible.

Missing

The twin attacks on Saturday and Sunday were among the bloodiest since the Maoists began their fight for a communist republic six years ago.

More than 4,000 people have been killed in that time.

On Sunday night, up to 4,000 rebels are reported to have overrun Sandikharka, in Agarkhanchi district, 300 kilometres (185 miles) south-west of the capital, Kathmandu.

Nearly 70 people, all but a few of them security personnel, died in the assault, the government says.

A day earlier, at least 49 policemen were killed when hundreds of rebels attacked a police post in Sindhuli district east of the capital.

Reinforcements were sent in to Sandikharka by helicopter and fierce fighting raged for hours.

A number of officers are still unaccounted for.

"There's no fighting [there] now. We're trying to restore the situation to normal," an army official told Reuters news agency.

Anti-terrorism laws

Correspondents say that security has been tight despite the recent withdrawal of the state of emergency.

The government is reviewing the security situation and will plug any gaps

Spokesman Achhyut Wagle

But near daily bombings in the capital and attacks on security forces elsewhere suggest the rebels are still a potent force.

Nevertheless, the government is determined November's vote will go ahead as planned.

"The government is reviewing the security situation and will plug any gaps," Achhyut Wagle, Mr Deuba's spokesman, told BBC News Online on Monday.

Mr Deuba will meet political leaders and security chiefs on his return to Kathmandu before announcing what action he plans to take.

One of his senior aides has suggested existing anti-terrorism laws could be used to counter the rebels, rather than re-imposing the now-lapsed emergency.