The stubborn, ambitious, arrogant, and foolish king has finally tried to save his throne by reinstating the dissolved House of Representatives just before the midnight of Apr 24, 2006. The house was dissolved during the dark hours on the night of May 2002 and now it is reinstated with People Power II. Maybe he realized he can’t hang on to his throne beyond April 25, would be forced to flee, or someday be brought to books, all of which might have compelled him to arrive at the decision. Maybe he realized political parties would actually form a parallel government, which would be recognized by international community, maybe he realized army and police might turn against him eventually or maybe he realized army and police were not enough to save his neck. Whatever the reason is, he has bowed down to massive internal pressure in the form of People Power II that was supported by international community, except with one blunder never seen in the diplomatic history.

I had maintained all along since Oct. 4, 2002 that the reinstatement of dissolved House of Representatives was the best possible option to bail out the country from the crisis. At this stage, I really wished to do away with the monarchy first and then let the people decide their own destiny. However, if political parties and the people accept the reinstatement of the dissolved house that would eventually lead to an interim government, conclusive talks with the Maoists, and eventually an election to the constituent assembly to draft a new constitution, then it is equally acceptable. I have no doubt people will resoundingly reject the Shah kings to have any role in future Nepal. They will be made ordinary citizens on Nepal if they desire to be one. Otherwise, they will simply leave the country. Right now, reinstated house is only the stepping-stone in the right direction.

For the last two years, I have been fully convinced that monarchy in Nepal has no meaning anymore and therefore be abolished for the betterment of the Nepalese people. Monarchy, as the so called "symbol of national unity" has lost all its relevance in the face of Narayanhiti massacre on June 19, 2001 (official explanation of which is not acceptable to a majority of Nepali people). Moreover, the slogan itself is the propaganda of the ruling class that has sucked Nepali sweat and blood for so long, which people have realized by now and therefore wanted to do away with it once and for all. To me, I wished to first abolish the monarchy and then go for an election to a constituent assembly that would help create an inclusive society, which we deserve, but were denied for so long by the Ranas, Shahs, and Thapas.

Although the king has finally bowed down, it did not come from his knowing of the pressure or anything, but because of one and the only reason: his physical existence in the country. He might try to do his best to get at least some of the things he lost. To thwart any kind of his future tactics in Nepalese politics, we should go for an election to the constituent assembly unconditionally. People will decide whether to keep him as a king or make an ordinary citizen just like anybody else. This should be able to satisfy the Maoists if they are really interested to get into political mainstream peacefully.

I also started giving a thought if the king was preparing to flee. My thinking was based on the absence of any information from and about his cohorts like Kamal Thapa, Shrish Rana, Tulsi Giri, Pyar Jung Thapa, Tanka Dhakal, Bharat Keshar Simha, and many others that were hell bent to bring the downfall of the king. Given the whispers that two other Thapas, Shyam Bhakta and Sahabir, had started giving orders to ground security personnel, instead of the ones who were actually in charge of such things, signified a possible revolt from the security apparatus, which Gyanendra might have sensed. Moreover, I read a news piece somewhere that mentioned army to have agreed to be under the future government chosen by the people and not be an apparatus responsible to king. I hope this is true and I hope army top brass has realized where their salaries come from.

The challenges to the new government and the reinstated house are daunting. First and foremost being to convince the Maoists to buy the idea of reinstated House of Representatives. Though they had agreed to it in the 12-point understanding, they might back off from it anytime, and the smell is already there for everyone to sense. Moreover, it was probably to get the seven party alliance, particularly Koirala and the Nepali Congress, into buying their idea of unconditional constituent assembly elections, which the NC started way back in 1950 but which it vanquished until recently. There will not be any peace in near future unless the Maoists are brought to the fold. Restructuring the state and government machinery is vital for the people to get a sense of feeling about the country being governed by one of them for the benefit of the whole. This will be possible only through a new constitution written by the people’s representatives after constituent assembly elections. Once the reinstated House of Representatives convenes and a new interim all party government is formed, the House of Representatives may have to be dissolved again to accommodate the Maoist needs. The interim government should probably come from a pool of politicians like Narahari Acharya, Ram Chandra Poudel, Krishna Prasad Sitaula, Jhala Nath Khanal, Bam Dev Gautam, Amik Sherchan, Lila Mani Pokharel, Bimalendra Nidhi, Prakash Man Singh, Narayan Man Bijukchhe, Hridayesh Tripathi Bharat Bimal Yadav, and from a pool of civil society leaders and activists such as Laxman Prasad Aryal, Dr. Madhu Ghimire, Krishna Pahadi, Kanak Mani Dixit, Mathura Prasad Shrestha, Shambhu Thapa, etc. Gagan Thapa would probably be the best representative of the youth and current aspirations of people. It would be so nice if Maoists could also be brought into the government. Obvious figures would be Dr. Baburam Bhattarai and Krishna Bahadur Mahara. Their inclusion would instill in people a new hope that they are committed to peace, that they are ready to forego their proletarian dictatorship, and that they are ready to accept others’ ideas for an inclusive and egalitarian Nepal.

Another challenge would probably be to amend the present constitution and if possible, declare it null and void, so that the Maoists could believe their interests are being. This could be done within the next week or so. If we were to first amend the constitution until a new constitution is formed, then an article should be added that would declare any action taken independently by the king citing any article as an unconstitutional one. Another article to be added and/or amended is to bring the army under direct government control and take away the king’s “Paramsenadhipati” with no future role whatsoever. Next would be to change the name of the government from His Majesty’s to Nepal Government.

Equally important challenge right now would be to restore the chaotic state machinery and governance into some kind of workable situation, particularly the almost bankrupt national treasury, until the elections to the constituent assembly are held and until a new government is formed. And last but not the least, a challenge that has been aspired by the people’s movement would be to bring the oppressors like several of the Thapas, Ranas, Giri, Pandey, Dhakal, Mandal, etc. into books and be penalized with due process of law for their excesses. We probably can now open the Mallik report as well. Personalities such as Laxman Prasad Aryal would probably be the best person to lead such an independent and neutral commission.

If we can accomplish this much within the next few months, it would rekindle the hopes and aspirations of all Nepalese living in Nepal and abroad. The transition would be smooth and all the stakeholders will get an opportunity to prove their worth to a new Nepal. I believe rest of the things should be waited until the new constitution is promulgated and until a new government is formed.