Nepalgunj, November 23:

General Secretary of Nepali Congress (NC), Ram Chandra Poudel, has urged the King to accept the 12-point agreement t between the seven-party alliance and the Maoists.

He urged the King to come to terms with the agreement to ensure the continuity of the institution of monarchy .

Poudel was addressing a mass meet organised in Nepalgunj today.

“The seven parties have a road map. The country will find a way out if the King comes to an agreement If not, the nation will be divided into two opposing poles: all the people on one side, and the King, alone, on the other,” he said.”

The Country is seeking change. If King does not utilise this opportunity, a sea of people will come and take monarchy with it’”, he added.

“The Maoists who have been involved in an armed struggle for 11 years have agreed to come into political mainstream in a peaceful manner, accept multiparty democracy and have reached an agreement on constituent assembly,” Poudel said.

About the criticisms from pro-monarchs on the talks between Maoists and parties in Delhi, Poudel said,’ we can hold talks wherever we want to and was it possible to talk to Prachanda in Kathmandu?’ .

Stating that in the present situation, everyone, including the Army and Police, wants peace and only the Palace is against it, Poudel said,’ history shows that Kings don’t understand compromises and agreements which is the case now.’

Meanwhile, a day after the announcement of a 12-point agreement reached between the seven-party alliance and the Maoists, Nepali Congress (Democratic) has labelled it a positive development and “needs to be sincerely and effectively monitored and implemented” by both the sides to “establish total democracy and permanent peace.”

The party has urged all sections, including the Maoists to “sincerely” abide by the understanding. The central working committee (CWC) meeting of the party “cautioned” the seven-party alliance to shape a “strategy” to tackle the situation after the announcement of the constituent assembly result. It should be stated that the “meeting point” in the understanding has been an election to a constituent assembly though roadmap of both the sides have been different.

Terming the understanding between the seven-party alliance and the Maoists as “breakthrough”, NC(D) acting president Gopal Man Shrestha lauded the Maoists’ assurance on returning the public property seized by them and allowing the displaced to come back to their homesteads.

“Now that,” Shrestha told reporters, “People will decide the fate of the palace, let’s see how it (palace) reacts.”

CWC member Dr Narayan Khadka opined that the state should take this understanding as an opportunity to restore permanent peace in the country. “If the government takes it otherwise, the situation can be unfavourable to the government itself,” Dr Khadka said informing that today’s CWC meeting analysed the role and initiation of the party in reaching the understanding.