After getting an almost two-thirds majority in the polls, two parties in the left alliance—CPN-UML and the CPN Maoist Centre—have started dialogue for party unification and government formation.

Leaders, however, said they have yet to finalise the modality of party unification, which the unification coordination committee would take up.

Top leaders from both sides have been discussing the modality for merger, with Maoist Centre leaders stressing implementation of the “gentlemen’s agreement” to run the government and the unified party in turns between the UML chair and the Maoist Centre chief. But UML leaders are hesitating to accept Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal as their boss.

A meeting of the Standing Committee held at the residence of UML Vice-chairman Bamdev Gautam in Sainbu, Bhainsepati on Friday decided to conclude both the government formation and party unification processes “soon”.

UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli briefed the meeting that unification talks were headed in the right direction. Oli and Dahal are said to have agreed on a number of issues concerning party merger and government formation in their hours-long meeting on Thursday evening.

Maoist Chairman Dahal said he had a discussion with Oli following a five-party meeting in Baluwatar on Friday. Talking to reporters in Bharatpur, Chitwan, later in the day, Dahal claimed that the two parties had made a number of understandings. He said he would return to Kathmandu on Saturday for a meeting of the party unification coordination committee.

The UML Standing Committee also decided that formation of the National Assembly should be in line with the constitution. While Dahal argues that the National Assembly should be inclusive, presumably favouring the single transferable vote system that the UML opposes, a meeting of the left alliance scheduled for Saturday is expected to find a way out.