Kathmandu, May 29:

Leaders of the seven-party alliance and intellectuals urged the major political parties and the Maoists to be clear about the political issues to be incorporated in the new constitution that would be made through an election to a constituent assembly.

Political scientist Professor Krishna Khanal said the political parties in the seven-party alliance must go to the people with an agenda of democratic republic because the 12-point understanding and the spirit of the people’s movement ahve given a mandate to democracy without monarchy.

Addressing a talk programme held by New Media Club, Khanal asked the alliance to come out with clear stance whether they want to retain monarchy or go for republic set up, and on restructuring the state, linguistic issues and process of election to constituent assembly.

It is useless to retain monarchy because it has already lost its traditional image and respect from the general public, he said.

Central committee member of the CPN-UML, Raghuji Pant, viewed that the revived House of Representatives has the supreme authority to even declare the country a republic state but the alliance leaderships could not grasp the spirit of the people’s movement.

He asked the political parties, especially the Nepali Congress, Nepali Congress (Democratic), Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandi) and Nepal Workers and Peasants’ Party, to be clear on their stance on monarchy.

He also asked the political parties to implement what they promise during campaigns

of election to constituent assembly. There is a high chance of the political parties deviating from what they promise with the electorates.

Minister of State for Labour and Transport Management, Ramesh Lekhak, said election to a constituent assembly would decide whether or not to retain the monarchy.

He said election to constituent assembly has become a common agenda of all the alliance partners and the Maoists.

He said constituent assembly would decide on the issue of monarchy, restructuring the state and regional and ethnic autonomy.

Lekhak, who is one of the members of the government talks team, said that the 25-point ceasefire code of conduct signed between the government and the Maoists has given a space to move ahead towards constituent assembly.