KATHMANDU, Nepal, Sept. 18 (UPI) -- Maoist ministers in Nepal’s interim government quit Tuesday to press their demand to abolish the monarchy ahead of the constituent assembly elections.

All four ministers, who joined the government last November as part of a peace process that ended the decadelong Maoist rebellion in the Himalayan kingdom, submitted their resignations to Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Nepalnews.com reported.

The report said the Maoist action came after the leaders of top major parties in the interim government failed to reach consensus on the various demands.

The report said Koirala rejected the Maoist demands of declaring Nepal a republic prior to the November constituent assembly elections and for a proportional representation-based election system.

The Maoist group was expected to take its demands to the people through a nation-wide protest after leaving the government, the report said.

Nepal’s King Gyanendra has become extremely unpopular and has lost virtually all of his royal powers because of scandals and his crackdown on the democracy movement and the Maoist rebellion. Gyanendra’s Shah dynasty has ruled Nepal for two centuries.

The Koirala government said the future of the monarchy must be decided the new constituent assembly.