Gyanendra is finished: Nepal Congress

Kathmandu, Jan 30: Former prime minister and senior Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba has rejected suggestions that deposed King Gyanendra might influence elections in the Himalayan nation, saying the monarch is ''finished''.

''The King is now finished. Rather than foiling election, he should consider going overseas,'' Mr Deuba was quoted as saying in local media. Mr Deuba, who was sacked by Gyanendra twice, was considered by many as having a soft approach towards the institution of the monarchy. The King has been suspended in the new interim constitution of Nepal and parliament has declared the Himalayan nation a Federal Democratic Republic.

The parliament's decision will be implemented after the election of the constituent assembly scheduled for April 10.

Nepal was ruled by autocaratic monarchs for nearly 240 years.

The popularity of the monarchy sagged after the assassination of King Birendra and his family members in a royal dinner party inside the royal palace and the take over by Gyanendra sacking elected government and dissolving parliament.

Mr Deuba also ruled out possibility of integrating Maoist combatants into the national army.

''There is no example anywhere in the world where rebel army has been integrated into national army,'' he said.

''We (Congress) had also won the revolution of 1950 but our liberation army was not integrated into national army then.'' remarked the former prime minister.

Former premier Deuba alleged that the Maoists had not improved their conduct yet.

''In the West, Young Communist League tried to foil my programmes,'' he said.

UNI