NO BREAKTHROUGH IN EFFORT TO FIND COMMON CANDIDATE FOR PM

NO BREAKTHROUGH IN EFFORT TO ASSEMBLE CONSENSUS GOVT. UPDATE

Kathmandu, 21 Aug. With less than three hours remaining to meet a presidential deadline to form a consensus government by five in the afternoon Sunday ,the Big Three are meeting again to find a common candidate for a government chief.
The first round of secret summit talks between Maoist, UML and NC talks was inconclusive Sunday morning.
A front of five Madeshbadi is also meeting to decide whether to support the candidacy of NC top leader Sher Bahadur Deuba or Second Maoist Vice-chairman Dr. Baburam Bhattarai.
Maoist Chairman Prachanda and main opposition NC President Sushil Koirala held discussions and sought support for each others’ candidate Sunday for prime minister to succeed caretaker government chief Jhalanath Khanal.
Koirala told Prachanda NC can’t support Dr Baburam Bhattarai’s candidature without completion of the peace process.
Both parties have started discussions on alternatives for parties when they can’t meet the 5 PM presidential deadline to assemble a consensus candidate.
NC has decided to ask President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav for a three-day extension of the deadline to find Khanal’s successor.
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