Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala issued a statement on Monday saying the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly elected last month will be held on May 28.

It was decided before the election by the major political parties that the first meeting of the assembly would remove the king and declare Nepal a republic.

The 601-member assembly will also rewrite the constitution and decide the future political system for Nepal.

The announcement came just hours after King Gyanendra made a rare public appearance on Monday.

King Gyanendra went to Dakshinkali temple just south of Kathmandu and took part in a Hindu ceremony that involved animal sacrifices including chickens, sheep and a water buffalo. Royal priests said it was an annual ceremony that Gyanendra and his ancestors had maintained.

'The ceremony is to pray for the good of the king, his family and the nation,' said Lodraj Bhattarai, one of the royal priests. 'It is believed that after attending the ceremony and making the sacrifices, the king's wishes will come true.'

About two dozen monarchy supporters cheered the king. but he did not say anything but smiled and waved. Security was tight and several plainclothes officers guarded him and the temple area.

King Gyanendra became unpopular after he seized absolute power in 2005. He was forced to give up his authoritarian rule a year later following weeks of pro-democracy protests. Since then he has been stripped of all his powers, including command of the army. -- AP