The Nepalese Parliament has again failed to elect a new Prime Minister on Monday. Both the contesting candidates – Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda of the Unified CPN (Maoist) and Ram Chandra Poudel of the Nepali Congress could not secure the simple majority required to get elected in the fifth round of polling held on Monday afternoon. Announcing the election result, Speaker of the Parliament Subash Nemwang said the Maoist candidate Prachanda polled 246 out of a total of 563 votes cast, while his Nepali Congress rival Ram Chandra Poudel won 124 votes. Both the candidates could not get elected as they failed to obtain the simple majority. The Business Advisory Committee of Parliament will decide the date for the 6th round of voting. AIR Correspondent reports that neither of the two candidates secured the required majority as CPN (UML) and four Tarai based parties along with smaller parties in the parliament abstained from voting process. Both the CPN (UML) and the Terai parties did not take part in the earlier four rounds of polling which led to the parliament's failure to elect a new Prime Minister.The delay in electing a new Prime Minister is straining Nepal's peace process and writing of a new constitution, which has been stalled by the continuing political stalemate. At a meeting convened by then Chairman of the constituent assembly, all major political parties including the Tarai based parties have agreed to explore ways to seek consensus on election of a new Prime Minister and form a new government. Over two dozen smaller parties in the constituent assembly have voiced serious concern on the protracted delay in forming a new government and even threaten to launch protests in parliament and on the streets to put pressure on three major parties to end the current political stalemate. It is to be seen what strategy the major parties would adopt before the next round of voting to form a new government and end the political deadlock.