Maoists fighting to overthrow the king called a strike to protest against his grab for power, but with all communications down the call could be spread only by word of mouth and was largely ignored in the Himalayan kingdom's capital, Kathmandu.
King Gyanendra's decision to sack the government on Tuesday was condemned by India and the United States, both major suppliers of military aid, and the United Nations, which warned it could play into the rebels' hands.
Gyanendra acted after increasing criticism of his failure to bring political stability and peace with the Maoists.
A state of emergency has been declared, deposed Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and other politicians placed under house arrest or thrown in jail and the press strictly muzzled in one of the globe's poorest and most troubled nations.