PARTY ALLIANCE SPEARHEADING THE PRO-DEMOCRACY CAMPAIGN TO NAME A NEW PRIME MINISTER. THE KING SACKED THE GOVERNMENT AND TOOK FULL POWERS IN FEBRUARY 2005, VOWING TO CRUSH A DECADE-OLD MAOIST REVOLT IN WHICH MORE THAN 13,000 PEOPLE HAVE DIED. THE SEVEN-PARTY ALLIANCE HAS BEEN AGITATING SINCE APRIL 6 TO FORCE GYANENDRA TO RESTORE MULTI-PARTY DEMOCRACY. IN ALL, AT LEAST 12 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED AND HUNDREDS WOUNDED IN POLICE ACTION AGAINST PROTESTERS SINCE THEN. THE IMPOVERISHED KINGDOM HAS BEEN VIRTUALLY AT A STANDSTILL WITH THE MOVEMENT OF GOODS AND PEOPLE BLOCKED BY A GENERAL STRIKE AND CRIPPLING STREET PROTESTS ACROSS THE NATION. IN A STATEMENT ON SUNDAY THE MAOIST REBELS, WHO ARE LOOSELY ALLIED WITH THE ALLIANCE, CALLED GYANENDRA'S STATEMENT "A SHOW OF FEUDAL ARROGANCE AND AN INSULT TO THE GREAT HUMAN SEA THAT HAS TAKEN TO THE STREETS". GYANENDRA CAME TO THE THRONE AFTER THE 2001 PALACE MASSACRE WHEN HIS ELDER BROTHER, BIRENDRA, WAS KILLED BY HIS OWN SON, THE CROWN PRINCE DIPENDRA.
