Kathmandu, July 29:

Leaders of the CPN-UML and the NC today said a referendum could also be held along with the elections to a Constituent Assembly to seek people’s opinion on whether or not to give continuity to monarchy.

Presenting a paper on “Constituent Assembly: Process and Challenges” at an interaction organised by the Kirtipur Nagar Committee of the CPN-UML, a central committee member of the CPN-UML Rajendra Shrestha suggested that a referendum be held along with the CA elections, asking the people whether or not they wanted to keep the monarchy.

“The referendum would help do away with differences of opinion among the parties which are divided into two camps over the status of monarchy.”

Commenting on the paper, Ashok Rai, a standing committee member of the CPN-UML, said Italy had also opted for a referendum to decide the fate of the monarchy in 1946.

Rai suggested that the panel drafting the interim constitution also include in the statute a provision of holding referendum on the monarchy along with the CA elections.

“Unless the Maoist army and their arms are decommissioned and the Nepali Army is democratised by making amendments to four laws related to the army and the 26 regulations and 61 orders issued by the King are scrapped, the CA elections cannot be held in a free and fair manner.”

“Tradition has it that the army takes the King’s orders as good as law,” Rai said, adding: “Changing the name of an institution, which has remained loyal to the palace for centuries, would not change its mindset.”

Joint general secretary of the NC Dr Ram Baran Yadav said: “The referendum is the best option to decide the fate the monarchy.”“In the changed context, the NC does not want to bear the burden of the monarchy. The manifesto of the party will come up with a clear vision on the matter.”

“The ground reality is that nobody is in favour of keeping the monarchy,” he said, adding: “The parties want the issue settled peacefully”. “The parties would build a consensus on the issue,” he said.