From time to time, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala makes important as well as controversial statements from his hometown Biratnagar. Koirala, who had not very long ago attracted wide and sharp reaction for his idea of according the King a “ceremonial” status or some “space”, on Monday dismissed as out-of-date the question of that space. He told journalists the arrival of a republic was dictated by circumstances. He saw no need to pronounce Nepal a republic now, as “in a way it has already been declared so, and the first meeting of the constituent assembly will finally clinch the monarchy’s future”. He said the King got it all wrong the import of his idea of “space” and “ceremonial status”, adding that it did not mean the licence to create “instability”. The King’s own conduct and activities, said he, have “thrown the door open” for a republic. The reference obviously was to the Democracy Day royal message that was widely regarded as objectionable.

The Prime Minister prefers to have the CA deciding the monarchy’s fate. He has thrown open the possibility of an earlier decision, depending on the royal behaviour, suggesting that it would be better for the King to “step down’ before such a circumstance arose. For the first time, Koirala has clarified that his idea of royal space was conditional on abdication at that time by King Gyanendra and Crown Prince Paras. As he reckons it, even now such a step by the King would create a “better environment” in the country. But the octogenarian has left the public guessing as to what this space might have meant if the duo had given up their coveted positions, and what it might mean in the current context.

Among the top SPA leaders, Koirala is considered to be among the most sympathetic towards the monarchy. On the monarchy v republic issue, he has kept his cards close to his chest. While major parties like the CPN-Maoist and the CPN-UML have stated their official position on the monarchy, the NC is still undecided. However, Koirala’s present outburst suggests two things. First, it will be extremely difficult for the Congress, given the prevailing mood in the country, to carry the baggage of the monarchy as personified by the present King and the Crown Prince. Secondly, his perception, as that of other key eight-party leaders, is that the palace, uncomfortable as it is with the historic change, is still up to mischief as the CA polls gets nearer. Recent developments leading to this impression seem to be particularly damaging for an institution whose public stock has sunk pretty low. A question also arises as to what follows if such an abdication materialised now — whether the country would immediately become a republic or it would give the supporters of “ceremonial” monarchy reason to make a last-ditch attempt to save a sinking ship with a new royal incumbent at the CA polls. Though Koirala’s statements reflect a present national reality, the nation also expects him to fashion a formal position of his party on this issue. It does not behove a consequential national party like the NC to sit on the fence over a question as critical as this.