SPA leaders take Sujata to task for ‘pro-monarchist’ remarks

Senior leaders of the ruling alliance have expressed their severe disapproval to the ‘pro-monarchist’ remarks made by recently appointed Minister (without portfolio) Sujata Koriala.

At the meeting of the Seven Party Steering Committee held on Tuesday, the leaders also demanded that Nepali Congress (NC) should provide explanations for what they said “anti-constitutional remarks” made by its leader a day after being appointed as the minister without portfolio.

Nepali Congress leader and Minister without portfolio Sujata Koirala. (File photo)

Sujata Koirala, an outspoken central member of NC, who is also the daughter of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, had last Saturday said that though an individual King could be wrong, the monarchy as an institution cannot be, while advocating constitutional monarchy of which she has been a vocal proponent all along.

At the same time, she had raised many eyebrows by saying that the Constitution 1990 could be revived if the Constituent Assembly (CA) election is not held in April also.

In the steering committee meeting held at the CPN-Maoist central office in Buddhanagar, the seven-party leaders also raised their objection to NC’s decision to appoint the first daughter as cabinet minister without consulting with other alliance partners.

In response, the NC representatives in the meeting only said that the party had “taken note” of the Sujata’s remarks, but refused to say anything further on the matter, according to sources.

There was discussion on nine different important topics in the meeting of the steering committee formed to look after the implementation of the recent 23-pt agreement signed by the seven parties.

As per previous understanding, CPN-Maoist put forth the draft of the committee’s work procedures for perusal at the meeting. The alliance partners have agreed to come to a decision on this after further discussion.

The taskforce also decided to request the Election Commission (EC) to postpone by 15 days the date for implementation of election code of conduct.

Earlier, the EC had unveiled its poll schedule and stated that it would start enforcing the election code of conduct from January 16.

For the government and the non-government organisations, the election code of conduct will be effective from January 16; for parties following the submission of the closed list of candidacies for proportional voting system while, for election candidates, it will come into effect after the registration of candidacy, the EC had said.

Similarly, there has also been an agreement to form a taskforce to decide on the formation of local bodies. The steering committee meet would again take place tomorrow at the same venue. nepalnews.com ag/sd Jan 15 08