Nepal: Maoists to abolish monarchy, declare republic

The Communist Party of Nepal –Maoist, which emerged victorious in the recent Constituent Assembly polls, decided on Wednesday that the next government should be under its leadership and that party chairman Pushpa Kumar Dahal alias Prachanda' would head the government.

The meeting reaffirmed the abolition of monarchy and implementation of republic in the country and concluded to form a coalition government and continue consensus with other parties, Maoist leader C P Gajurel said.

''The CPN-M has emerged as the largest party, so the next government should be formed under our leadership,'' he said.

"We will hold the major ministries and negotiations can be made for the portfolio of other ministries," Gajurel said.

The Prachanda led CPN-M has emerged as the largest party with approximately 222 seats in the 601 seat Constituent Assembly, followed by about 111 seats of the Nepali Congress and 104 seats of the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist.