His Majesty King Gyanendra granted audience to former Prime Ministers Krishna Prasad Bhattarai and Surya Bahadur Thapa at the Naryanhity Royal Palace as seven opposition political parties continued their agitation for ‘total democracy’ on12th straight day on Monday.
Talking to reporters after the royal audience, Bhattarai said, “The process of dialogue has started. Democracy will certainly return in the country.”
The veteran Congress leader who is out of active politics for sometime said he was against the idea of election to the constituent assembly as well as the roadmap of the seven opposition political parties for ‘total democracy’. He said his interaction with the King was focussed on how the constitution of the 1990 could be activated.
Asked if the King was ready to cede power, Bhattarai remarked in his token light-hearted manner, “No one in power would want to give up power.”
He also made clear that he was a royalist. “I am a royalist. I am here to listen to what the King has to say,” he said
before entering the palace.
Meanwhile, talking to journalists after the royal audience former Prime Minister and chairman of the Rastriya Janashakti Party (RJP), Surya Bahadur Thapa, said, he informed His Majesty about the current scenario of the country.
Asked whether he will be the next Prime Minister, Thapa said, the present need of the country is to address current problems not the issue of post.
Thapa also served the post of Prime Minister for a term after the King sacked elected Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on October 2002. However, RJP is stressing the need of consensus among all constitutional forces (the King and political parties) to resolve current political stalemate of the country.
The King appointed three Prime Ministers since October 2001 to February 1, 2005 before forming the cabinet under his
chairmanship.
The King had given separate audiences to cabinet vice chairmen and the ambassadors of India, United States and China on Sunday. Reports said the current political crisis in Nepal and its possible outlet was discussed in the meetings.
Indian Ambassador to Nepal Shiv Shankar Mukharjee, who received royal audience on Sunday, called on Nepali Congress (NC) President Girija Prasad Koirala on Monday morning.
According to, NC sources, the duo discussed about the royal audience and current political situation of the country.
King Gyanendra has called upon all political parties to join in a dialogue to bear the responsibility of activating the multiparty democratic polity and contribute towards the same in his message on the occasion of Nepali New year on Friday.
International communities have been pressurizing the King to initiate dialogue with the seven political parties to resolve the present problems of the country. But it is not clear whether the monarch will call the seven agitating political parties for talks or not.
Talking to reporters after the royal audience, Bhattarai said, “The process of dialogue has started. Democracy will certainly return in the country.”
The veteran Congress leader who is out of active politics for sometime said he was against the idea of election to the constituent assembly as well as the roadmap of the seven opposition political parties for ‘total democracy’. He said his interaction with the King was focussed on how the constitution of the 1990 could be activated.
Asked if the King was ready to cede power, Bhattarai remarked in his token light-hearted manner, “No one in power would want to give up power.”
He also made clear that he was a royalist. “I am a royalist. I am here to listen to what the King has to say,” he said
before entering the palace.Meanwhile, talking to journalists after the royal audience former Prime Minister and chairman of the Rastriya Janashakti Party (RJP), Surya Bahadur Thapa, said, he informed His Majesty about the current scenario of the country.
Asked whether he will be the next Prime Minister, Thapa said, the present need of the country is to address current problems not the issue of post.
Thapa also served the post of Prime Minister for a term after the King sacked elected Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on October 2002. However, RJP is stressing the need of consensus among all constitutional forces (the King and political parties) to resolve current political stalemate of the country.
The King appointed three Prime Ministers since October 2001 to February 1, 2005 before forming the cabinet under his
chairmanship.The King had given separate audiences to cabinet vice chairmen and the ambassadors of India, United States and China on Sunday. Reports said the current political crisis in Nepal and its possible outlet was discussed in the meetings.
Indian Ambassador to Nepal Shiv Shankar Mukharjee, who received royal audience on Sunday, called on Nepali Congress (NC) President Girija Prasad Koirala on Monday morning.
According to, NC sources, the duo discussed about the royal audience and current political situation of the country.
King Gyanendra has called upon all political parties to join in a dialogue to bear the responsibility of activating the multiparty democratic polity and contribute towards the same in his message on the occasion of Nepali New year on Friday.
International communities have been pressurizing the King to initiate dialogue with the seven political parties to resolve the present problems of the country. But it is not clear whether the monarch will call the seven agitating political parties for talks or not.
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