As the debate on how to decide the fate of monarchy in new Nepal is ongoing, General secretary of the CPN-UML, second largest party of the ruling seven party alliance, Madhav Kumar Nepal has said all the political parties, except for the Nepali Congress, were in favour of holding a referendum along with an election to a constituent assembly to decide the fate of monarchy.

Addressing a function organised by Nepal Muslim Ittehad to mark the Id-ul-Fitr of the Muslim community in the capital on Friday, Nepal said, “Other parties, except one party, have supported our party’s stance for holding a referendum along with the constituent assembly to decide the monarchy’s fate.”

Nepal ruled out the claim that the King would become active if a referendum was held, claiming that there was no logic in the view.

“Will the royalists not become active if the monarchy’s fate is decided by constituent assembly? Will the palace not try to influence the constituent assembly representatives if it is decided by the assembly?” he questioned.

However Nepali Congress is saying that the fate of monarchy should be decided by the election of the constituent assembly, claiming that the monarchy will get space to play if the referendum was held to decide the fate of monarchy.
He also reiterated the party’s stance of going to a constituent assembly election on the proportional representational basis, as it would give opportunity to all the minorities and ethnic communities to elect their representatives to a constituent assembly.

Nepal stressed the need to restructure the existing unitary system and introduce federalism in which all the communities, women and Dalits would have their true representation in state affairs.

Meanwhile speaking at another programme in the Capital on Friday, Nepal also accused Nepali Congress of refusing to go to referendum in order to protect Monarchy.

Addressing the inaugural session of the human rights radio listeners’ club, Nepal’s 4th convention , Nepal further accused the Nepali Congress of conspiring and going against the agreement of the seven party alliance and the Maoists in deciding the fate of the monarchy through a referendum.

Meanwhile, Former Prime Minister and NC (D) president, Sher Bahadur Deuba, said that peace talks will not be held without reaching an agreement on the management of arms belonging to the Maoists.

Speaking at a press conference organised by the Nepal Press Union (Kaski) in Pokhara, Deuba said: “As the management of weapons is the major problem, there is no use sitting for talks without settling the issue of arms management.”