As Nepal’s seven party alliance endorsed and welcomed last night’s royal proclamation reviving the dissolved House of Representatives, the Maoists, who had earlier reached an understanding with the alliance, rejected the King’s move and said it was “an insult to the principle of supremacy of the people”. The Maoists threatened to blockade Kathmandu and the district headquarters.

But the alliance was celebrating. It unanimously chose Nepali Congress president G P Koirala as the Prime Ministerial candidate after it called off the 19-day general strike for restoration of democracy. This will be Koirala’s fourth term as PM.

“It (the revival of the House) is a positive step by the King and paves the way for resolution of problems the country has been facing”, the alliance said.

But even as the alliance declared it would now work on the Maoists to join the political mainstream, the Maoists rubbished the royal proclamation. “We firmly reject and dismiss” the royal address, said the Maoists, warning the alliance that any support to the proclamation would be “gross violation of the spirit of the 12-point understanding” between them.

A statement signed by Maoist chief Prachanda and ideologue Baburam Bhattarai announced that the blockade of Kathmandu and district headquarters will continue till the government-in-waiting concedes their demand for “unconditional” election to the constituent assembly. But on the streets of Kathmandu, there were scenes of celebration. Pro-democracy protesters turned out in huge numbers as leader after leader promised “not to repeat the mistakes of the past”.