Prachanda, who has been leading an increasingly bloody battle to topple the monarchy, said Gyanendra's move Tuesday sought "to push the Nepalese society of the 21st century back to the 15th."

"We heartily call upon the entire pro-people forces of the world to raise their voices against this autocratic step and in the favor of the Nepalese people's democratic movement," he said in a message on the Maoist website cpnm.org.

He said the Maoists, who have been fighting for nine years to install a communist republic, were prepared to cooperate with other political forces by establishing "a broad front with all that are against feudal autocracy."