President Bidhya Devi Bhandari has expressed her displeasure at efforts to drag her office into a “controversy” over new government formation.

In separate meetings with Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Sunday, the President asked the leaders to not involve her office in a controversy over the new government formation.

President Bhandari also assured the duo that she would act according to the constitutional purview.

Deuba told her that he was in favour of implementing the new constitution by brining all the major political parties on board.

The President’s role has been defined by the constitution. There was no need for dispute over it, said Madhav Sharma, press adviser to the President. Bhandari told Deuba and Dahal that she could not go beyond parliamentary norms and values. Bhanu Deuba, an aide to

the NC president, said she had been advised to play the role of a facilitator in government formation.

The meetings took place as discussions over a no-confidence motion filed against the incumbent government continued on the third day.