Nepali PM resigns, sparking fears of violence

Nepal's Maoist Prime Minister has resigned, plunging the Himalayan republic into political turmoil. Maoist leader Prachanda fired General Rookmangud Katawal on Sunday, accusing him of disobeying instructions not to hire new recruits and refusing to accept the supremacy of the civilian government. But President Ram Baran Yadav, a member of an opposition party and commander-in-chief of the army, called the move unconstitutional. Prachanda, a former rebel who formed Nepal's first Maoist-led administration a year ago, said: "To avoid the unnecessary and unavoidable circumstances that may cause and safeguard the federal democracy, nation and peace process, I announce my resignation from the cabinet I lead." The crisis is a huge blow to a 2006 peace pact that ended a decade-long civil war between the army and the Maoists. After announcing his resignation, Prachanda called on the people of Nepal to uphold civil society. Two parties withdrew from the ruling coalition to protest against the army chief's dismissal, leaving the Maoists with a thin majority and possibly leading to a confidence vote in the government. Prachanda abolished Nepal's 239-year-old monarchy and declared the impoverished mountain nation a republic after leading an insurgency in the jungles around the Himalayan foothills.

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ITN | May 4, 2009

Tags:. .army. .mountain. .process. .possibly. .jungles