Pressure mounts on Nepal king

The royalist government prepared yesterday to launch controversial municipal elections set for next month despite more rebel violence and the threat of a national general strike that organisers vow will bring the capital to a halt.

"On January 26, candidates will have to file their nominations while the complaints against candidacy would be received the following day," said Tejmuni Bajracharya, a spokesman at the Election Commission.

Coinciding with Thursday's launch, an alliance of seven opposition parties, sacked when King Gyanendra took total control almost a year ago, has called the nationwide strike to press for a return to democracy.

Students say they will help to ensure it is effective.

"The general strike will be completely successful," said Krishna Prasad Sitaula, a spokesman for the Nepali Congress party.

"The king's poll cannot represent people as no responsible political parties and members of civil society are taking part in it," said Sitaula, who is currently in hiding because of fear of arrest.

"We are coordinating with seven other student bodies to make the parties' general strike on Thursday successful," said Badri Pandey, general secretary of the Nepal Student's Union.

The strike call however was not welcomed by a business community representative on Wednesday.