Kathmandu, June 18: Newly crowned King Gyanendra Monday called the delayed budget session of parliament into session from June 25 after the end of the national mourning period for assassinated King Birendra and other royal family members, an announcement of Parliament said Monday.

This is the first major political announcement of King Gyanendra on the government’s recommendation after being crowned June 4 following the tragic deaths of Kings Birendra and Queen Aishwarya and other royal family members and relatives in a carnage at the royal palace on June 1.

Only one week’s time was given to members of parliament to meet in the capital next Monday instead of the normal 15 days as in the past because of the abnormal circumstances. The King Monday granted formal audience to the entire Council of Ministers of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala after the Royal Palace resumed normal functions Monday following the end of a 13 day mourning period Saturday, an announcement said.

The budget session has been delayed this year by more than one month because of squabbling between national parties and the national mourning following the Narayanhiti royal palace carnage.

Embattled Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has to get the annual national budget 2058/59 approved by the House of Representatives where the ruling Nepali Congress party enjoys a slender majority; the opposition stalled the winter session of parliament earlier this year demanding Koirala’s resignation for his alleged personal involvement in
approving an inflated deal to lease a Boeing 767 from Austria’s Lauda Air for Royal Nepal Airlines causing the state airlines millions of rupees in losses, opposition said.

Side-lined intra and inter party differences in national parties are again expected to surface with the end of the mourning period.