Kathmandu, August 12:

CPN-UML standing committee member Jhala Nath Khanal said today that Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala sought a space for the monarchy without consulting the partners of the seven-party alliance.

Inaugurating the party’s sixth conference of the Kathmandu Metropolis-14 at Loktantrik Chowk, Kalanki, Khanal said that Koirala’s statement of giving the monarchy a space in politics was also against his party’s 11th convention, which had decided to remain indifferent to the monarchy.

“Nepali Congress president Koirala did not become PM on a personal basis. He must speak according to the spirit of the seven-party alliance and the spirit of the second Jana Andolan, which called for a democratic republic,” Khanal said, adding that the idea of giving any space to the monarchy was against the people’s desires.

He also flayed the council of ministers for deciding to give rights to the throne to the eldest daughter of the King and the Queen. He said no discussion was held with alliance partners before taking such a decision.

Khanal said the monarchy was the biggest hurdle in democracy, peace and national development. The monarchy has ceased to exist as a symbol of unity, which, he said, had always pursued a divide-and-rule policy and split the major political parties into several factions.

Saying that the process of political change took place after the King yielded to the people on April 24, Khanal said the alliance and the Maoists had the responsibility of institutionalising this hard-earned democracy, concluding the peace process through arms management, forming an interim statute and an interim government, holding the constituent assembly polls and bringing about socio-economic changes.

Khanal said the nation would no longer follow the Westminster style of parliamentary democracy. It would follow the principle of inclusive democracy and the state would be restructured to give space to all communities.

Khanal also paid tributes to the families of those who lost their lives at Kalanki Chowk during the Jana Andolan. Pradyumna Khadka, Basudev Ghimire, Sagun Tamrakar and Dipak Biswokarma were killed at Kalanki Chowk on April 20.

UML central committee member Krishna Gopal Shrestha said seriously injured people during the Andolan were not cared for. He said the pathetic condition of one Bishnu Lal Maharjan was a case in point. Maharjan cannot move his body and he is still struggling for life at Model Hospital.