The debate in the UCPN-M has taken a new turn. Earlier, we were supporting Pushpa Kamal Dahal as our presidential candidate, but now this is no longer the case. We have come to realise that absolute power tends to corrupt even the most honest and upright person. Although the presidential system is also a kind of a parliamentary model where people directly vote for their ruler, it puts power solely in the hands of one person which is worrying. We can still look for alternatives and get national and state assemblies to elect an executive.

Parliament, legislature and electoral representation are integral to the modern political system, but not all of them are empowered. Even the Chinese have a national assembly of representatives, but it is not a parliament. Only a genuine representative body which is sovereign and empowered can choose the right presidential or prime ministerial candidate.