A meeting of the top leaders of the ruling coalition convened at the Prime Minister's Official residence in Baluwatar on Thursday evening has ended inconclusively.
According to Baluwatar sources, the meeting failed to strike chords with the leaders agreeing to meet on Friday afternoon again.
Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', and CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal were present in the meeting.
Prachanda in the meeting reiterated that the gentleman agreement reached earlier with the coalition leaders to allow him to lead the government in the first half of the five-year term be implemented, sources have said.
The meeting did not make any headway after Deuba told Prachanda that NC leaders were not willing to hand over the leadership to him.
"President Deuba wants to continue with the ruling coalition but some NC leaders are not willing to hand over the leadership to Prachanda. The meeting could not strike an agreement today," the leader told Nepalkhabar. "The leaders have agreed to sit tomorrow again."
Ruling coalition leaders failed to reach an agreement at a time when CPN (UML) is rending efforts to form a new government in an alliance with the Maoist Center.
UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli has offered the premiership to Prachanda. Prachanda apprised the office-bearers' meeting of the offer made by Oli at Sheetal Niwas yesterday and at the federal parliament building today.
However, Prachanda, who was elected as the party's parliamentary party (PP) leader, wants to become the prime minister through the existing coalition.
On the other hand, Deuba, who was elected as the PP leader on Wednesday, wants to continue as the prime minister. The NC's central work execution committee has endorsed the decision to form the government from the center to the province level.
