Kathmandu, December 17:

CPN-UML leader Bamdev Gautam today said if there is anyone who favours monarchy that could be from within the eight political parties.

“Challenges are from within the eight parties. They can go in favour of monarchy,” Gautam said. He was addressing an interaction programme on “Context of Constituent Assembly (CA) and role and challenges of the people of mid-western region” organised by the Sanchar Pratisthan Nepal here today.

He said the existing governing system will not work now and it should be changed with federal system.

“The mid-western region will be a separate federal state now,” he said. The central government is ‘looting’ the people of far-flung districts including Darchula and Taplejung, Gautam said, adding people of these places are always deprived of opportunities.

While talking about the concerns raised by other speakers that the people do not understand what the Constituent Assembly is, he said people know very well that they have to throw out the monarchy from which they have been continuously suppressed for the past 238 years.

“And the major agenda of the Constituent Assembly polls should be whether to go for a republic or keep monarchy,” he said, adding: “After monarchy is rooted out, we will then compete with each other for more seats in the parliament.”

Gautam also said that donated money cannot develop Nepal.

“We need to utilise our resources including our rich bio-diversity.”

Vice-chairman of the Nepali Congress Sushil Koirala said monarchy has always remained the major obstacle for the political stability in Nepal and has affected development works of the country for long.

During the function, he also expressed commitment that the Nepali Congress will never go against the people’s aspirations.

President of the All Nepal Women’s Association-Revolutionary Jayapuri Gharti said the CPN-Maoists have been demanding proportionate representation of all the deprived communities, gender and regions and proportionate election system since long, citing that a large number of people have been deprived of the resources of the state.