Nepal warns Gyanendra against comeback

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: CPN UML senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal today asked deposed king Gyanendra to stop daydreaming that he would return to throne once again.

Speaking at the UML’s Valley Cadres Special Coordination Committee Meeting, Nepal categorically said, “It is not acceptable for the UML.”

Nepal went on to say, “Gyanendra expressed his interest to become the king again as per the wish of the public, but he must know that people have different ways to express their interests. If people want they can choose even the son of a farmer.”

The CPN-UML senior leader also challenged the former king to show agreement if he has signed with the political parties to protect monarchy during the people’s movement-II held in 2005/06 as he claimed during a television interview. “This is completely false,” Nepal said, adding, “it is not expected from the former king.” He also termed Gyanendra’s act as abominable.

Nepal also said Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai should step down as soon as possible. Stating that it is not possible to hold elections to the Constituent Assembly in coming November, he also ruled out any chances of restoring the dissolved CA. “The legitimate way can be find out only after the consensus reached among the political parties,” he said adding, “Therefore the government must be prepared to step down.”

The former prime minister also urged the Janajati leaders of his party to return to the CPN-UML. “The party must forgive them to make their comeback easier. At the same time, they need to realise their mistakes and start respecting the party statute,” he added.

Revival impossible: Sujata

BIRATNAGAR: Nepali Congress leader Sujata Koirala today ruled out any possibility of revival of monarchy in the country. Nepalis have already consigned monarchy to history and its revival is impossible no matter how much the former king strives for it, the NC leader told journalists at the Biratnagar Airport. Further, ruling out any deal with the late NC leader Girija Prasad Koirala as claimed by the deposed king, she argued Shah had done harm to himself by drawing into controversy of late. Responding to journalists’ queries, Koirala stressed that parliament election was the only option to resolve the present political crisis.