Protests loom after Nepalese king's removal

A group that supports Nepal's royalty warned yesterday that it would launch protests next week against the decision by Nepal's main political parties to abolish the country's centuries-old monarchy after April elections.

The seven major parties, including Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's Nepali Congress party and communist former guerrillas -- who are now in the government -- agreed last month to turn the Himalayan monarchy into a republic.

Rabindra Nath Sharma, who heads the pro-king National Democratic Party (Nepal), said the demonstrations would start on Monday. His party was not among those that made the decision on the issue.

"We will protest the decision by the seven parties and the parliament to abolish monarchy," Sharma said. "The decision was not only illegal but also undemocratic."

"How can these seven groups make such a big decision for the country? The monarchy can only be removed by the people's verdict, such as a referendum," he said.

King Gyanendra, previously a constitutional monarch with mostly ceremonial power, seized control over the country in February 2005. He was forced to relinquish most of his powers following widespread protests in April 2006.

The political parties agreed last month that Gyanendra will be removed immediately after elections, scheduled for April, to choose an assembly to rewrite Nepal's Constitution.

Sharma said the protests would include public rallies and street demonstrations, which he said would be peaceful.

It was not clear how much support such actions might attract. There has been little apparent public support for the king in recent months.

There was no immediate reaction from the government on the planned protests.

The communist ex-rebels -- usually known in Nepal as Maoists -- had withdrawn from the government on Sept. 18, demanding electoral reforms and the immediate removal of the king. The incident plunged Nepal into a political crisis and forced the government to postpone elections, initially scheduled for November, for the constitution-drafting assembly.