Kathmandu, March 4:

Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) leader and former Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand today said a discussion between the political parties and the King was the need of the hour.

“There is no alternative to talks. That is if we expect to solve the problem. If that is so both sides must go ahead. Not lag behind,” Chand told reporters after launching a collection of Nepali short stories in the capital today.

He also reinforced the view that since solution can be expected only at the end of the much needed consensus among all political forces, there was no point in any delay. He did not elaborate nor did he comment on the scenario following reaction from US President George Bush.