KATHMANDU, April 23 (Xinhua) -- The Nepali government continued daytime curfew in the capital Kathmandu Valley on Sunday beginning 9:00 a.m. (0315 GMT) to 8:00 p.m. (1415 GMT) to maintain law and order.

    The curfew was imposed as thousands of anti-monarchy activists held demonstrations in Nepal's capital on Saturday despite King Gyanendra's promise to restore multi-party democracy.

    Thousands of demonstrators took to the street across the Katmandu Valley Saturday and marched toward the palace. They clashed repeatedly with security forces who were keeping marchers from reaching the palace. Dozens of people were injured in the clashes.

    The clashes came as the seven-party opposition political alliance rejected King Gyanendra's plans and called for more protests and a continuation of a general strike.

    The king, who took full powers in February 2005, announced Friday that he would give up political power to the people and asked the seven-party alliance to name a new prime minister.

    Leaders of the Seven Party Alliance, after a meeting on Saturday, rejected the royal call to form a new government and insisted on the reinstatement of the dissolved parliament.

    A joint statement issued after the meeting said the common agenda of the alliance, including the reinstatement of the dissolved House, formation of an all-party government and dialogue with the anti-government guerrillas and holding elections to the constituent assembly, was still the only option left to resolve the long-drawn political crisis in the country. Enditem