Yielding to pressure from the pro-democracy movement, King Gyanendra of Nepal on Monday night met a key demand of the seven-party alliance by announcing that Parliament, which he had dissolved in 2002, would be revived.
Updated at 2.35 am, Tuesday
NEW DELHI: People power finally caught up with King Gyanendra. Having dug in his heels, he tried to be clever but had to eventually bow to popular sentiment.
In a late-night television address, Gyanendra announced that the parliament of 2002 would be re-convened on Friday. For good measure, he announced the time too: 1pm.
By reinstating parliament, the king gave in to the main demand of the seven-party alliance and the Maoists. The declaration came ahead of Tuesday's million-strong march to the palace called by the SPA and the Maoists. Considering the popular mood, Gyanendra was persuaded to yield.
CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury essayed a pivotal part in ensuring that the government took the views of the pro-democracy movement seriously. He had been very critical of Karan Singh being sent last week to Nepal as special envoy.
After falling flat by seemingly supporting the king, India carried out a course correction and brokered another peace deal.
The roadmap has now been laid out.
After parliament assembles, an interim government will be formed.
This government will hold talks with the Maoists. The next step would be to create a constituent assembly to decide the monarchy's future.
The party of Nepal's last prime minister, sacked by King Gyanendra 14 months ago, welcomed the king's announcement.
The King's announcement came hours before a massive rally here on Tuesday organized by the SPA, which had rejected his offer last week to relinquish executive power and his invitation that they choose a new prime minister.
The SPA had demanded revival of Parliament, setting up of a constituent assembly and for the King to give up not only executive power but also state power that gives him control of the army.
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba was sacked in February 2005 after King Gyanendra accused his administration of corruption and failing to quell a 10-year Maoist insurgency.
"It's positive. Now the responsibility of a reinstated parliament and the political parties is to bring the Maoists into the mainstream of democracy and peace," said a spokesman for Deuba's Nepali Congress (Democratic) party.
India welcomed the decision to revive Parliament and hoped an interim government would be in place in the Himalayan kingdom in a day or two.
Reacting to the king's broadcast, National Security Advisor M K Naryanan said in Berlin he hoped all steps had been taken by Nepal for restoration of multi-party democracy.
-- With inputs from agencies
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