Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala, whose party has been an ardent supporter of Constitutional Monarchy for the last fifty years made an abrupt and unprecedented turn Thursday stating that the Nepali Congress could opt for a Republican State.

Speaking to party workers in Birgunj Thursday, Koirala however said that the party’s preference for a Republican State would have to be endorsed by its cadres and leaders at large. He said the Nepali Congress under the second phase of its protest and awareness raising programme against the Royal Proclamation of October 4 would be launching peaceful street movements.

Koirala called upon the journalists to exercise caution regarding the need to safeguard press freedom stating that he had already heard about the preparation underway to issue an ordinance to curtail press freedom.