Deposed Nepal king to leave palace

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) -- Nepal's deposed king planned to move Wednesday from what was once his palace to a summer home the government has loaned him just west of the capital, officials said.

Nepal's Constituent Assembly, which abolished the monarchy last month and declared Nepal a republic, ordered former King Gyanendra to move out of the palace by this week.

Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula said Gyanendra's aides told the government he would leave the Narayanhiti royal palace in Kathmandu on Wednesday and move to the Nagarjung summer palace.

The main palace has been his home since he became king in 2001.

Nagarjung palace, situated on a forested hill on the northwestern edge of Kathmandu, was previously used for vacations by the king.

It, like many royal assets, was nationalized by the government when the monarchy was abolished.

Gyanendra had asked the government in Nepal to help find alternative accommodation after he was ordered to move out of the main palace.

He said he could not move back to the house where he had lived before becoming king because his son and his family were already living there.

The government has said Gyanendra can temporarily live in the summer palace, but has not said for how long.

The monarchy's end was the culmination of a two-year peace process in which communist insurgents gave up their armed struggle, joined mainstream politics and won the most seats in April's election for the Constituent Assembly.

The assembly is tasked with rewriting the constitution, deciding the country's future political system and governing the nation.

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