According to a source privy to developments, RPP Chairman Pashupati SJB Rana, RJP Chairman Surya Bahadur Thapa and RPP(N) Chairman Kamal Thapa met discretely at a resort at Hattigaunda, Kathmandu to discuss possible unification of the three parties. The three parties were a single party at one time. [break]
"Though the leaders of the three parties realized a need for unification in view of a possible general election after the completion of the peace process and promulgation of a new constitution, they could not reach any agreement as [Kamal] Thapa was not ready to give up the tactical line of constitutional monarchy," the source told Republica on condition of anonymity.
Thapa has been advocating reinstatement of the monarchy, which was abolished in 2008, and demands a referendum on the issue.
Talking to Republica, RPP(N) Chairman Thapa confirmed the meeting. "We met today to discuss possible unification. I call for unity of the parties on the basis on which the RPP was established 21 years ago," Thapa said, declining to go into details of the meeting.
Asked about the basis that he referred to, Thapa said,"The party was established with the political line of constitutional monarchy and multi-party democracy."
But RPP Chairman Rana and RJP Chairman Thapa declined to meet the condition. "The monarchy has now become an irrelevant fact. We cannot go to the people after unification if we take up constitutional monarchy as our political line," another leader quoted Thapa and Rana as saying at the meeting.
But RPP(N) Chairman Kamal Thapa argued that debate on the relevance of the monarchy will gain momentum gradually and people will start demanding reinstatement of the monarchy in the next 10 years.
"In response, RPP(N) Chairman Thapa was of the view that the parties cannot be unified if constitutional monarchy were to be dropped as the party´s political line," another source said.
All these leaders were in a single party -- RPP -- before splitting twice. They had supported active monarchy and were in power before the restoration of democracy. According to leaders, they have realized of late that they will be further marginalized and become almost nonexistent in the new political context if they do not unite. Sources said that they have realized the urgency of unification in view of a possible election after the completion of the peace process and promulgation of a new constitution.
Sources also said the leaders are likely to meet again next week to persuade RPP(N) Chairman Thapa to drop the political line of constitutional monarchy.
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