Nepal’s Prime Minister cum ad hoc Head of the State Girija Prasad Koirala is to hoist the national flag in the Narayanhity Royal Palace on 15 June, says Home Affairs spokesperson Mod Raj Dotel.
The government has organized an official function in the palace premises on the special occasion of ex-King Gyanendra Shah’s departure from there.
On 28 May, the interim constitution-guaranteed provivision of republic was implemented by the elected Constituent Assembly despite macro and micro efforts of some monarchist parties within the coalition government to stop it. On the day, millions of Nepalis across the country had come out to the streets from early morning on to pressurize the implementation of republic.
After the implementation of republic with almost unanimous voting for it, even the hardcore monarchist parties, who could never imagine of the abolition of monarchy in Nepal, have now changed into repubican parties overnight.
Koirala, himself a monarchist till 20:30 on 28 May, the blockbuster day in Nepali history, has now claimed the post of the first president of Nepal. In the 10-April constituent assembly poll, the majority of Nepalis elected Maoist Supremo Prachanda for his proposal as the first President. At present, former monarchist parties, who stood in second and third positions after the poll, have stopped the largest party, i.e., Maoists from forming the new government.
Many have criticized Koirala for his vulpine greed for power even at the age of 86. He was media-highlighted for different scandals in his previous tenures. He became the interim prime minister even while he was being oxygenated.
Now he wants to show to the world that he is the number one republican leader deserving the position of president even though he had been fighting to protect monarchy throughout his political life.