KATHMANDU, NOV 11 - Speaker of the Lower House Tara Nath Ranabhat has vowed to quit the legislature if the current political mess continues for the next five months.
According to Ranabhat, he can’t stand the confusion any longer. "Either the king has to restore the House of Representatives (HOR) immediately, or elections have to be announced by forming an all-party government. If nothing happens accordingly, I’ll have to quit," the Speaker said today in an exclusive meeting with The Kathmandu Post.
Ranabhat’s decision is influenced by the people’s mandate. He thinks it would be unethical for him to remain as Speaker without the House after his public mandate expires. "I won’t remain here after April 14 when my stipulated five-year tenure comes to completion," he said.
However, if the House is restored or an all-party government is in place and announces elections, the situation would be different.
In order to resolve the current political chaos, Ranabhat thinks both the king and political parties must show magnanimity and take initiatives. "It has been proven by now that the king can’t stifle democracy, so there is no option but to hold elections," he said.
The political parties, on their part, should not flare up their movement so as to support the Maoists’ cause, he cautioned.
Ranabhat insisted that the existing Constitution was still effective and had only sustained minor injuries. According to him, the impairment came in terms of the dissolution of the HOR and the opinion that elections could not be held in the present situation. "Both injuries could be easily cured and the Constitution could be put back on track," he said.
Ranabhat’s position turned controversial when despite the agitating parties’ oft-repeated request, he chose to boycott the House sessions convened in the streets, and clung to his official position and continued enjoying all the state facilities.
He, however, justifies his move. "If I had also resigned, the Constitution of 1990 wouldn’t have existed. I remained here as the custodian of the Constitution. But that doesn’t mean that I will continue to do so indefinitely if the confusions remain," he said.Posted on: 2003-11-10 11:00

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