Prince Norodom Ranariddh, who was removed as president of Cambodia's co-ruling Funcinpec Party during his overseas trip in October, returned Phnom Penh on Saturday afternoon, reportedly with a plan to establish a new party and highlight the illegitimacy of the party's decision to strip him of his entitlement.

Ranariddh's public affairs adviser Ok Socheat told reporters that the prince did not make any remarks upon his return from the months-long stay abroad.

The prince was meeting with his followers on the next step to be taken, he added.

The Funcinpec Party on Wednesday filed a lawsuit to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court to accuse Ranariddh of embezzling the 3.6 million U.S. dollars as payment for the sale of the party headquarters' property.

Socheat denied the accusation.

Ranariddh was removed as party head on Oct. 18 during a special assembly meeting of Funcinpec. The delegates thought him illegible for the post as he stayed overseas for too long to manage party affairs and could not establish good ties with Prime Minister Hun Sen to co-run the government.

The prince refused to admit the legitimacy of the assembly meeting and the newly-elected party leaders.

He vowed to form a new party to compete in the general election in 2008, while some small parties extended olive branches to him in order to forge political alliance.

Source: Xinhua