Kathmandu, September 9:

Nepali Congress central working committee member, Ram Chandra Poudel today said his party would never accept the monarch, who is making a futile attempt to prove himself as the only sources of power, as a ruler. “The NC’s 11th general convention thoughtfully deleted all references of the monarchy from it statute at the time when the King tried to become a ruler by violating the 1990 constitution,” Poudel said, addressing a public meeting held to mark late B P Koirala’s 92nd birth anniversary at the party headquarters, Sanepa. He said the NC decided to delete all the references of the monarchy from its statute after being “sensitive to democracy and nationalism”.

“No country can have two power centres, just like there can be no two lions in a jungle,” he said, adding, “If the King does not need democracy, the Nepali Congress also does not need the monarchy.” Poudel, who played a crucial role in drafting the party’s policy and programme during the general convention that deleted the monarchy from its statute, claimed that the convention took a matured decision on its leadership and policy and programme, which would leave a far-reaching impact in Nepal’s politics in the 21st century. The concept of inclusive democracy, the NC adopted, would be able to accommodate the marginalised and backward communities in the political mainstream.

Addressing the function, NC spokesperson Arjun Narsingh KC said it was B P Koirala, who first raised organised voice against the Rana family rule that was brought to an end in 1950. “It is, however, sad to say that we recite B P’s name all the times but do not follow his ideology in practice,” he said, calling upon all the party cadres to fight for inclusive democracy adopted by the party way back in 1955. KC said that the autocratic monarchy would crumble like sand castle even though he has a backing of the army. Another central leader Mahantha Thakur said the people would not have any sympathy to the King in history and that he would be considered as the main factor for political instabilities in the country. Party president G P Koirala who was scheduled to address the meeting could not attend the function due to his illness.