In Nepal, a meeting held between top leaders from Nepali Congress and Unified CPN (Maoist) on the issue of forming the next government ended inconclusively on Tuesday with both the parties seeking each other's support for the election of the new Prime Minister. Talking to newsmen after the meeting, Nepali Congress Spokesperson Arjun Narsingh K.C said that his party should be given an opportunity to form the next government as a party that lead the peace process in the country. Unified CPN(Maoist) Vice Chairman Narayankaji Shrestha said his party proposed formation of a new government under the Maoist leadership as the largest party and finding an alternative arrangment. AIR Correspondent reports this was the first meeting between the Maoists and the Nepali Congress after four rounds of polling failed to elect a new Prime Minister. The fifth round of polling to elect a new Prime Minister is scheduled for August 18. The meeting was attended by the top leaders of both the parties including the Prime Ministerial candidates – Prachanda of Maoists and the Ram Chandra Poudel of Nepali Congress. While the meeting between two largest parties in the constituent assembly can be described as a move in the right direction to open up new avenues to defuse the ongoing political uncertainty, it is too early to say whether these two major parties will find a basis for consensus to form a national unity government. The participation of both the CPN(UML) and the four Tarai based parties in the polling process is crucial to determine the election of a new Prime Minister and pave the way for forming a new government. While the UML is insisting on forming a national consensus government instead of a majority one, Terai based parties they would lent their support to a party that will fulfil their various demands including an autonomous Madhesh state comprising all of Terai belt.