Kathmandu, January 22:

Pro-royalist leaders today said that the local election, scheduled to be held on February 8, should be called off in order to avoid an even bigger political problem.

Addressing a programme at Reporters’ Club here today, Prakash Chandra Lohani, co-chairman of the Rastriya Janashakti Party, said that though election was theoretically a parameter of democracy, holding the February 8 polls would only deepen the crisis.

“The election is a royal roadmap, which is being staged to give legitimacy to the government. The government cannot claim wth utter surety that an election held in such a situation will be peaceful or impartial,” Lohani said, urging the government to postpone the election as most of the leaders are jailed and demonstrations are prohibited.

“The time has come for immediate talks. For this, real action is needed and not just formalities,” he said.

Lohani said that Nepal has been losing many friends from among the countries of the world by imposing curfew and imprisoning political leaders. If this carries on, the international forces’ interest in intervening in Nepal will deepen.

He added that those who advise the King not to hold talks with the political parties are

the very ones who will cause the demise of monarchy from the country.

Lohani also said that those who think that all the country’s problems will vanish after the abolition of constitutional monarchy have not understood the geo-politics of the nation.

Rabindra Nath Sharma, RPP leader, said King Gyanendra and NC president Girija Prasad Koirala should hold talks as a first step to the resolution of the crisis.

“Either Koirala has to urge the King to call off election or the King should call Koirala for talks and postpone the election,” he said.

Sharama said monarchy was the tree under which national unity and sovereignty could prosper, adding that “it is our duty to honour ths tree and we have no right to damage it”. He warned that the country would disintegrate if it adopts a republican set-up.

On the other hand, CPN-ML leader CP Mainali said that the country would be able to find a solution only after the government releases arrested leaders, withdraws election, announces ceasefire and shows concern for the parties’ declarations.

Mainali accused the King and the ministers of compelling the Maoists to end the ceasefire and of causing bloodshed in the country again.