Political crisis sparks Nepal protests

The prime minister had been under pressure to step down

Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of Nepal as opposition parties held crisis talks over the appointment of a new prime minister.

The caretaker Prime Minister, Lokendra Bahadur Chand, resigned on Friday after eight months of increasing protests.

King Gyanendra appointed Mr Chand last October after sacking the elected prime minister and assuming executive powers, in a row over the timing of parliamentary elections.

Nepalese political leaders have been putting pressure on the king for a new government of national unity.

My resignation, I hope, will pave way to resolve the present conflict

Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand

"We don't want an arbitrary king," said pamphlets handed out by protesters in the capital Kathmandu on Saturday.

Mr Chand on Friday said he resigned to help end the political unrest.

"Despite the government moving in a positive direction, the political parties have failed to co-operate," he said. "My resignation, I hope, will pave way to resolve the present conflict."

He insisted his resignation would not harm the peace process with Maoist rebels, which is aimed at ending seven years of civil war.

The rebels and the government have been observing a ceasefire since January.

The leaders of the five main political parties in Nepal have been in talks to try to agree their preferred candidate for prime minister.

However, the main parties want to form a new interim administration themselves or for the king to reinstate the parliament he dissolved last May.

The front runner for prime minister is said to be Madhav Kumar Nepal, general-secretary of the largest party the United Marxist Leninist party.

A BBC correspondent in Kathmandu says the politicians have vowed to continue their protests against the king with a mass rally due to be held on Monday.

King Gyanendra came to the throne two years ago after the crown prince shot dead nine members of the royal family before killing himself.