The slogans on the street are becoming more republican by the day. Till a few days ago it would have been fairly safe to say the movement would fizzle down if the King handed power back to the parties but it now appears a republic is becoming reality with each passing day. I am not a politician, scholar or expert, but based on what I can tell, the republican train has left the station. If we don't see a republic in the immediate aftermath of this movement, we are bound to see one in the not too distant future because there odds are stacked up pretty steeply against the King and the monarchy. From the brutal handling of protest to the less than sparkling reputation of his son it is becoming hard to envision the Monarchy regaining the prestige and legitimacy it once enjoyed. I get the sense the parties prefer a severly weakened ceremonial Monarchy to a republic but things can go either way at this time. The big thing to watch out for is the speech the King is supposed to give on Friday, if he does give it at all. Whether he opts for reconciliation and bends to the people and the parties or choses to clamp down further will, in my opinion, determine whether this movement will produce a loktantra or ganatantra.