The five agitating political parties in Nepal on Friday night announced a two-day nationwide general strike on May 11-12 in an attempt to press the king to resolve the current political stalemate.

The general strike has been scheduled for May 11-12 in the light of the national strike on May 16-18 called by the anti-government guerrillas, The Himalayan Times newspaper on Saturday quoted a statement of the parties as saying.

The parties called for "a complete strike in educational institutions, government offices, industries, factories, public organizations and every type of businesses including vehicular movement.

They however spared the ambulance, dairy vehicles, water tanks, fire brigades, garbage vehicles, diplomatic missions' vehicles and vehicles of the press from the strike.

Some major political parties have been holding street demonstrations in Nepal's capital Kathmandu since April 1, demanding the formation of an all party government of the parties represented in the dissolved House of Representatives.

Supporters of the parties organized mass rallies, burned tyres, vandalized public vehicles, blocked the roads, shouted anti-monarchy slogans and hurled stones at police personnel during their "peaceful" demonstrations.

The party leaders claimed this is the largest demonstration held in Nepal since 1990.

Source: Xinhua