Nearly half of the country’s 24 million people favour and want to retain monarchy ahead of constituent assembly polls. This was the finding of an independent poll conducted by interdisciplinary analysts conducted from 16 December 2007 to 12 January 2008 ahead of a controversial and unlikely assembly elections 10 April.

Altogether 49.3 percent of 3,010 respondents said monarchy should be retained while 12.2 percent said they had no answer to didn’t want to comment. Only 3.2 and 3.4 percent of respondents respectively said they had confidence in the interim parliament and cabinet respectively. Altogether 59.1 percent said the country should be a Hindu state. Yet, seven parties have thrust a secular state a republic on the people and country. Only a referendum on these issues can decide the mood of the people. The result of a sham poll conducted under duress can’t reflect public opinion. Home minister Krishna Prasad Shitaula who has let loose Maoist marauders n the country claims ‘rajabadis’ are disturbing elections. A visiting UN official said this week not one person has been charged by this government for past and present grave crimes.