The one-time rebels, known as the Maoists, say they have no plans to renew their armed revolt. They were planning a mass gathering in central Katmandu later Tuesday where they were expected to detail their plans for protests against the government, which they say has been too slow to declare Nepal a republic and meet their other demands.

The withdrawal from the government was confirmed by senior minister Ram Chandra Poudel, who is a member of the Nepali Congress, the largest party in the administration.

"The Maoist ministers gave their resignation and left. In the notice, they have alleged that the coalition government has failed to function in the spirit of the agreements reached earlier and have not been able to prepare for upcoming elections," Poudel told The Associated Press.

Leaders of the top four parties in the government, including the Maoists, met at the prime minister's residence Tuesday in a last-ditch attempt to avert a political crisis.

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Maoist party leader Prachanda (who goes by one name), and leaders of the Nepali Congress Democratic and United Marxist Leninist Communist Party of Nepal met until early afternoon, when the negotiations broke down.

The former rebels have been threatening they would walk out of the eight-party coalition government by Tuesday if the prime minister did not meet their demands, including one that Nepal become a republic instead of a constitutional monarchy.

They also are demanding that a commission investigate the disappearances of their supporters during their decade-long conflict against the government, which ended last year, as well as salaries for their former fighters and their integration into the national army.

The Maoists, who gave up their armed revolt last year to join the peace process and enter the government, have been demanding the Himalayan nation be immediately declared a republic. It has long been a monarchy, although the king currently holds no real power.

Other coalition partners have disagreed, saying it should be left for a special assembly - to be elected in November - to decide on Nepal's future political system while it rewrites the constitution.

The rebels linked up with the political parties last year, joining pro-democracy street protests against King Gyanendra's authoritarian rule. The demonstrations forced the monarch to give up direct rule.

The Maoists later declared a cease-fire, signed a peace agreement and confined their combatants and weapons to United Nations-monitored camps. They joined Nepal's parliament in January and the government in April.

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