Kathmandu, September 15:

Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) president Pashupati Shumshere Rana today demanded a summit meeting between the rebel leadership and the top seven party alliance leaders. He was of the view that such a meeting was necessary to restore good ties between the political forces which should not distance themselves from each other at the crucial juncture. “The schism between them (rebels and alliance) is widening now. It would be better if they can hold a summit to sort out the misunderstanding,” Rana said, addressing party workers in the capital today.

A separate summit could be held to discuss the political agenda and another meeting is required to stop further worsening of relationship. He also referred to the kinds of summit Indian and Pakistani leaders hold over Kashmir time and again and something which stops further deterioration of ties. However, he also lamented the way the rebels are making it difficult for other party workers and leaders to enter the villages for peaceful political activities.

“This is against the 12-point agenda. Rebels are handing out party membership to those who belong to other parties already,” Rana said. Former Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand said that rebels should keep in mind that they cannot run the affairs of the state on the strength of the power alone. “If they go by power, there is no difference between them and kings of the yore,” Chand said. He was of the view that it was not wise to demand a republican order much before constituent assembly is formed.

He also referred to a scenario in which the House of Representatives had hailed the act of trimming of royal power, relegating the monarchy to the status of a truly ceremonial entity.