The seven-party alliance spearheading the pro-democracy movement in Nepal today turned down King Gyanendra’s offer to transfer power saying nothing short of reinstatement of Parliament would be acceptable to them to begin with.

Asking the King to respond within 24 hours, the alliance said that the reinstatement of Parliament has to be followed by formation of an all-party interim government and a commitment to hold election to the constitutent assembly to draft a new constitution, which would facilitate the Maoists to come to the peace process.

But opinion is sharply divided among the pro-democracy forces over whether the alliance should leave it to the King to fulfil their agenda, or should they do it themselves once they form the government. Given the mood of the public, the alliance leadership is also afraid of a backlash if they are seen to be making any compromise with the King. Today too thousands took to the streets of a curfew-bound Kathmandu and district headquarters, shouting ‘‘Royal proclmation is a farce and do not fall for it’’.

Riot police opened fire in at least two places of Kathmandu at the protesters, leaving three dead and over a hundred injured.

The alliance top leaders met at the residence of Congress president G P Koirala in the afternoon today. The joint statement issued by the parties vowed to continue their agitation till the King agreed.

Declaring the end of his 14-month-long direct rule yesterday, the King had invited the alliance to choose a PM candidate to rule the country, and owing accountability to the Constitution.

His graceless retreat, a day after PM Manmohan Singh’s special envoy Karan Singh met him, however, attracted wide support from the UN, India, US, UK, EU and other countries who have been extending moral support to the pro-democracy movement.