Nepali king appoints ex-PMs as loyalist deputies 1 minute ago KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Nepali King Gyanendra named two former royalist prime ministers as deputies of his ruling council, state radio said on Monday, in a move seen as further tightening his grip on power in the troubled Himalayan kingdom. Gyanendra sacked the government this month, blaming it for failing to tackle a Maoist revolt. He assumed direct charge, setting aside multi-party democracy that was introduced in 1990. Political wrangling and the insurgency in land-locked Nepal, which is sandwiched between giants India and China, have raised concern about its stability, and fears foreign militants could take advantage of the chaos and find a hide-out. Radio Nepal said Tulsi Giri and Kirti Nidhi Bista, who were both prime ministers in the 1960s and 1970s, during absolute monarchy, were named deputy chairmen of a council of ministers -- already packed with royalists -- headed by King Gyanendra. Leaders of mainstream political parties have been either under house arrest or in police custody since Feb. 1, when the king imposed a state of emergency and suspended civil liberties including press freedom. Following the crackdown, King Gyanendra's government has stepped up operations against the Maoist rebels who want to overthrow the monarchy. More than 11,000 people have been killed in the insurgency since it erupted in 1996. The Maoists, who hold sway over large parts of the countryside, have rejected talks with the king, and instead launched a nationwide blockade and transport strike over the weekend to build support against his move. The king's seizure of power has been condemned by countries across the world including India, the United States and Britain. --------------------------- Futurenepal