We support Maoists on republic: Koirala

Nepal’s PM Girija Prasad Koirala fell in line with the Maoists' position when he claimed that his party too wanted to make the country a democratic republic, reports Anirban Roy.

Nepal’s Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala fell in line with the Maoists' position on Sunday when he claimed that his party too wanted to make the country a democratic republic.

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In a desperate attempt to defuse the political crisis that arose five days ago when the Maoists withdrew their ministers from the interim government in protest against Koirala's unwillingness to obliterate the role of Nepal's King altogether, Koirala, speaking at the central working committee meeting of the Nepali Congress, declared that there was no alternative to a republic in the Himalayan kingdom.

Koirala urged his party to work hard to overcome the difficulties that were likely to arise in the transition to a new political ideology. He suggested that all those who were opposing the idea of a republic, listen to what the people wanted.

“The country’s sovereignty is at stake, and all the leaders need to be united to tackle the challenges,” Koirala said.

Meanwhile, some leaders of the Nepali Congress (Democratic) met Koirala and urged him to immediately finalise the unification of the two parties. The Nepali Congress leaders are of the opinion that unity of the party is the need of the hour.