Nepali King Gyandendra (left) with the sacked Prime Minister Deuba

By IOL South Asia Correspondent

NEW DELHI, October 4 (IslamOnline) - Nepal's King Gyanendra sacked caretaker Prime Minister SB Deuba and his cabinet of ministers Friday, declaring he would temporarily take executive power of the country. The king also postponed elections indefinitely.

Gyanendra, speaking on state-run television and radio this evening, said Deuba was "unqualified" to preside over elections that were scheduled to start November 13.

Prime Minister Deuba met the king Thursday to request the elections be postponed for one year because of the "deteriorating law-and-order situation" in the country due to the Maoist rebellion.

The Nepalese cabinet decided Thursday, October 3, to postpone the mid-term polls by one year until November 19, 2003, due to security reasons.

It is clear now that the king rejected the government's recommendation to postpone the parliamentary polls until November 2003 which would have allowed the government to rule without parliamentary mandate. The cabinet sent a letter in this respect to the king citing the "deteriorating law-and-order situation" in the country.

Last Sunday Deuba was asked by seven major parties to postpone elections due to security problems. The election to the 205-member assembly had already been announced in six rounds beginning November 13, 2002.

King Gyanendra dissolved parliament on Deuba's advice on May 2, two years ahead of schedule, as the house looked set to end emergency rule imposed to counter the Maoists. Maoist rebels had threatened to disrupt the elections

The ousted prime minister had just formed a new party, after being prevented from using his former party's name and election symbol. Deuba and his supporters were expelled from the Nepali Congress last June.

Nepal is reeling under a Maoist rebellion since 1996. Over 5,000 people have died in the revolt, with more than 3,000 killed since last November.

The country lived under an state of emergency for about a year until it was allowed to lapse last month anticipating the elections.

Nepal has enjoyed parliamentary democracy since 1990. The king's take over may pave the way for the country to slide back to the old autocratic rule and era of political unrest.

King Birendra of Nepal with his whole family was wiped off in a palace bloodbath in June 2001 paving the way for his brother Gyanendra to take over as king.

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