Differences have cropped up between the major constituents of the seven party alliance (SPA) over the fate of monarchy in the country.

The meeting of the standing committee of the CPN (UML) on Wednesday has called upon all political forces and the masses to stand firmly in favour of turning Nepal into a “democratic republic” through Constituent Assembly.

The decision has been made in order to translate people’s aspirations expressed during the ‘jana andolan 2006” into reality, a statement issued by the CPN (UML) on Wednesday said.

Prime Minister and Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala, however, said that there was a need to give continuity to what he called the ‘ceremonial monarchy.” Addressing his party workers in his home town in Biratnagar on Wednesday Koirala said that in the transitional phase monarchy needed to be continued in the country to avoid dissidence and rebellion.

The meeting of the UML did not comment on Koirala’s statement. It, however, stressed on moving towards interim constitution and interim government by holding “summit talks” between top leadership of the SPA and CPN (Maoist).

The CPN (Maoist) has been launching ‘people’s war’ for the last one decade with a view to turn Nepal into a communist republic.