Post Report

KATHMANDU, Dec 3:Nepali Congress (NC) will have more protest rallies against the king’s moves from December 18. This was decided at an informal meeting of the party today.

The protest programmes, which have been scheduled through December 18 to January 5, are being organised to press for the restoration of the House of Representative as the way out of the current political crisis.

Unlike in the recent past, the party itself is organising the programmes instead of its sister organisations. Party president Girija Prasad Koirala attended the informal meeting.

The rallies will be held in Biratnagar, Rajbiraj, Malangawa and Rupandehi on December 18, 27 and January 2 and 6 respectively. The party is also expected to announce at least two more such rallies probably in Nepalgunj and Dhangadi.

Nepali Congress and other major political parties have protested the royal proclamation of October 4 in which King Gyanendra dismissed the government led by Sher Bahadur Deuba and later instated Lokendra Bahadur Chand as the prime minister.

The NC is also observing the national reconciliation day on December 31, coinciding with the return of B P Koirala from political exile in India in 1976.

“We will highlight the relevance of what late BP Koirala had said on issues like monarchy and pluralistic political system,” NC Central Working Committee (CWC) member Krishna Sitaula said.

“The party will encourage sister organisations to conduct countrywide protest programmes on December 31 to mark the occasion,” Sitaula said.