Kathmandu, August 13:

Sujata Koirala, the daughter of Nepali Congress (NC) president Girija Prasad Koirala, today said it would be politically incorrect to press for a republican set-up or related agenda unless the Maoists agreed to a negotiated settlement. Sujata, who seemed to be in an aggressive mood against the King and the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) for alleged “psychological torture on pretext of probing corruption in the Sushma Koirala Memorial Trust”, however, said the issue of a republican set-up depends on the King’s actions. “The possibility of a republican set-up depends on the King’s actions,” Sujata told journalists at her residence. She, however, hastened to add that the country was already headed towards a republican set-up. Sujata, who had announced that she would fight for the post of NC central working committee member, said she would “personally” suggest the party leadership to exclude “constitutional monarchy” from the party statute. “Instead, I would suggest keeping total democracy,” she added. She also said her father Girija Prasad would run for NC president this time too. “The situation demands that he should,” she said.

‘CIAA charge baseless’

Kathmandu: Sujata has challenged the CIAA to prove her involvement in corruption. The CIAA shot off a letter to her, demanding the annual progress report, audit report, details of bank accounts of Sushma Koirala Memorial Trust, an NGO, and the Surgery Hospital, Sankhu. Sujata said she was repeatedly threatened and psychologically tortured by the CIAA and RCCC in the name of probe. She labelled it a conspiracy on part of some NC leaders who keep sneaking into the Palace at night but pretend to be NC leaders during the day. She, however, declined to name them. — HNS