It's a story of losses for the King of Nepal. He lost almost all his executive powers when the people turned against him. Now he has lost the roof over his head. What is more, losing his house could be a signal that he could well be losing his throne in a few months’ time.

Sixteen months after a parliamentary resolution brought King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev and the royal family members into the tax net, the ruling coalition led by G P Koirala has suddenly decided to “nationalise” eight palaces, with four others soon to be taken over.

The takeover was technical, in that the royal residences were under the effective management of the Government for several years now. And with all but one of the palaces listed as UN World Heritage Sites, most of them were being run by the municipalities and the Archaeological Department.

However, the message to the Shah dynasty is loud and clear. The symbolic nationalisation of the palaces is being viewed here as a signal that Nepal is headed towards a republican set-up. “Yes, the Narayanhiti Palace, where the King sits now, will be turned into the President’s official residence once Nepal becomes a republic,” said Minister of State for Culture And Tourism Prithvi Subba Gurung.

There are a few anti-monarchists who have their eyes on the iconic royal mansion. Maoist chief Prachanda has already set a two-year deadline after Constituent Assembly polls in November for his becoming the country’s President. That Koirala’s Nepali Congress will also take a pro-republic line in its election manifesto is definite, with the Prime Minister instructing the party campaign drafters to this effect on August 30.

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