May 5, 2003	Monday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 2, 1424

KATHMANDU, May 4: Thousands of Nepalis rallied in Kathmandu on Sunday to demand that King Gyanendra restore parliament or form a government with nominees of the country’s political parties.

“We don’t want an absolute monarch,” protesters chanted as they marched through the streets of the capital.

Five political groups organised the rally, the biggest against Gyanendra since he plunged Nepal into a political crisis by firing then prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba last October.

Gyanendra, vaulted to the throne after the 2001 palace massacre, removed Deuba for seeking to delay general elections because of the threat from Maoist rebels opposed to the polls, and named in his place staunch monarchist Lokendra Bahadur Chand.

But political parties say the monarch is still holding executive powers.

“The king must restore parliament or form a government with our nominees,” Girija Prasad Koirala, chief of the Nepali Congress party, the biggest of the five groups, told a gathering of about 20,000 people.

Party leaders also vowed to boycott official functions from next week and block government vehicles on May 13 and 14.

Last week, the government held a first round of talks with the Maoists which was described as cordial, and the two sides have pledged to meet again to try and end the revolt that has claimed over 7,200 lives.—Reuters