Kathmandu, Jan. 28 (Reuters): Nepal’s royalist government has gathered dozens of candidates for next month’s municipal polls ? the country’s first elections in years ? into “safe houses” to protect them from Maoist rebels.

“This is a precautionary measure keeping in view the security threats to candidates from the Maoists,” a government official said from Sarlahi district, a rebel stronghold in the east.

In several areas regarded as highly dangerous, candidates for the February 8 polls for 58 municipal councils, which the rebels have vowed to fight, were taken to heavily guarded public buildings near army or police posts after filing their nominations.

“We have provided separate security guards to those who are unwilling to stay in groups,” another official said.

The rebels, fighting to topple the world’s only Hindu monarchy and impose a communist state, have threatened candidates and called a week-long strike from February 5 to disrupt the polls, the first of any kind since national elections in 1999.

“Candidates in security camps,” read a front page headline in the Kathmandu Post daily. In places, weeping relatives pleaded with candidates not to go ahead with their nomination, local newspapers said.

In Guleria in west Nepal, Maoists kidnapped a politician who had planned to contest the elections.

Last Sunday, suspected rebels killed another politician who had declared his intention to stand in the southeastern town of Janakpur.

And at least 11 rebels and two soldiers were killed overnight when Maoists stormed an army base in Bhojpur, 400 km east of Kathmandu, the army said.

Nepal’s main political parties protesting against King Gyanendra, who seized power last year, are boycotting the polls, saying they are aimed at legitimising his regime.