India behind `conspiracy` to restore monarchy: Prachanda

Shirish B Pradhan

Kathmandu, May 30 (PTI) Stepping up his anti-India
rhetoric, Maoist supremo Prachanda has accused it of backing a
"conspiracy" to restore monarchy in Nepal, which had turned
into a republic from a kingdom just a year ago.

Prachanda, who quit as premier after a dispute with
President Ram Baran Yadav over the issue of sacking of army
chief, said the present Communist Party of Nepal (Unified
Marxist Leninist) (CPN-UML)-led government is "just a
puppet" and efforts are on to "murder the infant republic".

"After Madhav Kumar Nepal became the Prime Minister, a
conspiracy is being hatched with the help of foreign powers to
restore monarchy," Prachanda told a workers' gathering in
Lalitpur near here Friday, the day Nepal observed its first
republic day.

The country abolished its 240-year-old monarchy on May 29
last year, dislodging King Gyendra from power.

"First of all, Gyanendra will be brought back as the King
for some time and he would then abdicate on health grounds.
Then his grandson Hridayenda will be declared ceremonial king
for which preparations are being done in Delhi," he alleged.

While resigning as Prime Minister earlier this month,
Prachanda had indirectly accused India of interfering in
Nepal's internal affairs. (More) PTI