KATHMANDU, Jan 8 (Agencies): After over two centuries of ruling as head of state, Nepal's Shah dynasty of kings was Monday set to lose the position as the multi-party government and Maoist guerrillas agreed to implement a new constitution from next week.
'The leaders of the seven-party alliance and the Maoists have agreed to promulgate the new constitution from Jan 15,' Deputy Prime Minister Amik Sherchan said after the end of a hastily convened meeting here Monday.
The state media said the government had agreed to the date on the understanding that the monitoring of the arms of the Maoists by UN officials, which started Monday, would be over within a week.
Although rebel chief Prachanda and Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala had agreed on the new constitution Dec 16, the statute was not implemented immediately due to conflicting statements made by the premier.
The octogenarian leader first said the new constitution would not be enforced till the Maoists laid down arms since the new statute would pave the way for a government in which the rebels too would have to be included - as per a peace agreement signed between the government and the guerrillas.
Subsequently, he had also expressed dissatisfaction with the new statute, saying it gave unlimited power to the prime minister and could turn him into a dictator.
However, the Maoists said the premier, who supports keeping the unpopular Gyanendra as a ceremonial king, was delaying the statute to protect the monarch and scuttle the election scheduled for June, when the crown will be put to vote.
When the new constitution comes into effect from next Monday, the beginning of the Nepali month of Magh, the king, already stripped of most powers after an uprising against his regime last year, will lose his last position as head of state to the prime minister.
The 238-year institution of monarchy will remain in suspension till the June election, when a special electoral college will decide if Nepal should remain a kingdom or become a republic.
Although Koirala had reportedly assured the Maoists that the new statute would come into effect from Jan 9, the government showed signs of delaying it, which triggered anger among the rebels, public and even parties in the government.
Prachanda last week warned the government that if the constitution was delayed beyond Jan 14, his party would start a fresh agitation.
The call was echoed by the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist, the second biggest party in the alliance government.
However, it remains to be seen if the controversial constitution will keep the new deadline.