Kathmandu, May 21:

General secretary of the CPN-UML, Madhav Kumar Nepal, said today that the present House of Representatives (HoR) should not be dissolved until the next alternative is found, which could be possible after talks with the Maoists.

“While voices have been raised from some quarters to dissolve the HoR, others are insisting on continuing it until the next parliamentary election. Both the views are with the people’s mandate,” Nepal said, adding that the HoR should continue until a next alternative is found.

He was addressing a programme organised to mark the 13th death anniversary of then party general secretary, Madan Bhandari, and organisation department chief, Jib Raj Ashrit, who were killed in a road accident in 1993.

He also asked the Maoists not to get panicky about the declaration made by the HoR. “They say such a declaration should have been made only after holding election to a constituent assembly. But the declaration was announced as per the people’s aspiration and the HoR had no intention to bypass the Maoists,” he said. He said such a move was imperative to clip the wings of the monarchy before going to the election to constituent assembly.

He also made it clear that the fate of the monarchy would be decided by the people during the constituent assembly. “But we want to get all political issues settled in a peaceful manner and the King must be prepared to accept the people’s verdict,” Nepal said. Nepal also urged the Maoists to stop extortion, forced-gathering of people, abductions and return properties they have captured. “They should stop extortion to create a conducive environment for talks. We know that their cadres and armed guerrillas can survive at least for six months even if they do not resort to extortion,” Nepal said.

He thanked all the political parties in the HoR and the people for incorporating almost all the issues, raised in 1990, in the House declaration. While making the 1990 Constitution, Bhandari had expressed reservations on 27 issues and he had extended a critical support to the statute.

“The way the House incorporated all those issues in its declaration proves that Bhandari was a visionary leader,” he said.

UML leader Bamdev Gautam said the democracy cannot be institutionalised unless monarchy is abolished. “The Nepali people do not want mona-rchy in any form,” Gautam said, adding that the movement became successful only after the 12-point pact was signed. Another UML leader, Ishwor Pokharel said it was a matter of satisfaction for the party that Maoist leader Prachanda hailed Bhandari’s ideology of People’s Multiparty Democracy (PMPD) after 10 years of insurgency.