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Koirala stresses unity

Ameet Dhakal

KATHMANDU: Breaking his long silence, Prime Minister and president of Nepali Congress (NC) Girija Prasad Koirala on Friday said the eight-party unity should not break at any cost.

Inaugurating a three-day national conference of party district presidents here, Mr. Koirala said, "[The] eight-party unity represents people's power and it should be strengthened further."

The alliance is under strain lately and has not been able to hold a meeting for the last three weeks after the Election Commission said it could not hold the Constituent Assembly (CA) polls on June 20 as agreed by the parties.

Two major constituents — UML and Maoists — said the Prime Minister should take responsibility for the poll delay. Some of the left leaders had even charged the Prime Minister that he was not in favour of holding the poll.

Mr. Koirala said as the Prime Minister, he was responsible for holding the poll.

Republic demand

By emphasising on the poll, he indirectly brushed aside the Maoist's demand that the interim legislature declare Nepal a republic and the UML's demand for national referendum to decide the fate of monarchy.

Party general secretary and Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Ram Chandra Paudel said the party should call its general convention to decide the issue of monarchy. The party is often criticised for maintaining an ambiguous stance on it. Some even allege that it wants to retain the monarchy.

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