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Nepal’s beleaguered king Gyanendra has moved out of the Narayanhity Royal Palace at the heart of Kathmandu to another palace on the outskirts of the capital city. The vacating of the royal palace has taken place just days ahead of the Maoists ultimatum to quit the Narayanhity Royal Palace, before a key meeting on May 28 is expected to dethrone him.
King Gyanendra moved to the Nagarjun Palace situated about 7 km west of Kathmandu. The Royal Palace sources have however reveled that the King has just gone on a weekend vacation to the Nagarjun palace and will be returning to the Narayanhity Royal Palace either on Sunday or Monday. In the meanwhile, leaders of the political parties of Nepal prepare to hold the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly that is expected to abolish the 240 year old monarchy and declare Nepal a republic.
The royal palace sources have also revealed that the palace is as it is not completely vacated because Queen Mother Ratna Rajya Laxmi, octogenarian mother of King Gyanendra is still in the palace. The official further stressed that the king in the past also has visited the Nagarjun palace for vacations. Maoists chief Prachanda had however ordered the king to vacate the palace before the crucial meeting of the political parties, who are determined to pass a motion in the 601 member Nepal Assembly to finally abolish the monarchy of Nepal.
