Nepal's Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa resigned Friday following weeks of nationwide protests by opposition parties and  pro-democracy activists, report agencies.

"I have decided to submit my resignation to His Majesty the King, with effect from today," Thapa told national television. "I hope my resignation will pave the way for building a national consensus and help establish lasting peace in the country."

 Thapa was named prime minister by  King Gyanendra who fired the elected government in 2002 and indefinitely postponed elections. He said the government  was unable to tackle the Maoist rebels, who have been waging a bloody revolt since 1996 to replace the monarchy with a communist republic.

Last month, Gyanendra proposed fresh elections by April 2005,  but most experts say this was not possible without peace with the Maoists, who walked out of talks last August.