As politicians met on Friday, thousands of demonstrators gathered outside the gates of legislative building in the capital of Kathmandu to demand a new constitution for the Himalayan nation.

Girija Prasad Koirala, 84, who was nominated to be prime minister by the seven political parties behind the wave of protests, was not well enough to attend Friday's session in order to be sworn in. Koirala was formally appointed to the post Thursday by King Gyanendra.

The king seized absolute power in February 2005, saying the government had not done enough to control a rebels’ insurgency that has claimed 13,000 lives in the past decade.

But after three weeks of demonstrations, in which at least 13 people died and thousands were wounded, the king agreed late Monday to reinstate Parliament, which he dismissed in 2002 at the request of the then-prime minister.

Among the changes expected in a new constitution would be curtailment of the king's powers.

Earlier on Thursday, the leader of the rebels, Prachanda, declared a three-month cease fire to give the new government a chance to set up the assembly and deal with other issues. His action came after a meeting with Koirala.