Hurray, If Prachanda -- or anybody for that matter -- says monarchy should be abolished and at the same time says that he will respect the people's verdict, it would not be CONTRADICTORY. It would simply be DEMOCRATIC. Now the question 'why now?'. Well, let me tell you this joke first. शहरको नामूद रक्सिबाजलाई प्रार्थना-सभामा देखे पछि मुल्लाले सोधे, "खान साहब, तपाई पनि यहाँ ?" खान साहब नतमस्तक हुँदै जवाफ फर्काउछन, "के गर्नु, मान्छे बिग्रिन कति बेर लाग्दो रहेछ र ?" Joke aside, if you feel that Prachanda is finally talking democracy (Constituent Assembly), then you will have to familiarize with the history of HMG-Maoist talks first. It is not Prachanda, but Girija and Madhav who are talking democracy finally. Ask them, not Prachanda, why now? And when some time in next year King Gyanendra will say yes to CA after the US threatens to air raid Narayanhity if he does not agree to CA, then ask him too, why now? Had King Birendra been alive, instead, and agreed for CA, you would be asking him too, why now ? The answer is: that's how democracy is, slow but all consuming, omni-victorious, unifying and universal force. लोकतन्त्राय नम: __