Nepal's King Gyanendra has named a new prime minister a week after he sacked the government and assumed power to run the country himself.

Former Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand - a pro-monarchist - takes over as prime minister of an interim administration.

The new cabinet under Mr Chand was sworn in on Friday in the capital Kathmandu.

The move comes in defiance of six main political parties in the country, who had urged the king to include them in any new administration.

The king sacked the government last week after the then Prime Minister, Sher Bahadur Deuba, asked for November's parliamentary elections to be postponed.

Mr Deuba had expressed concerns about attacks by Maoist rebels who had threatened to disrupt the vote.

Veteran royalist

The 63-year old Mr Chand began his political career about 40 years ago and served as the chairman of the legislature under a non-party system.

He has served three times as prime minister in the 1980s and 1990s.

After the king gave up absolute power in 1990, Mr Chand floated the Rashtriya Prajatantra Party which is seen as more supportive of the monarchy than other parties.

A trained lawyer and the father of seven children, Mr Chand the author of several novels and other literary works.

Constitutional stand off

Mr Chand's appointment followed the surprise dismissal of Mr Deuba and his government by the king last week.

The king said he had acted in accordance with the constitution - but mainstream political parties described the move as undemocratic.

The development exacerbated political uncertainty in Nepal, which has been reeling under intensified attacks by the Maoist rebels, who launched their anti-government insurgency in 1996.