KATHMANDU: Former Prime Minister and Chairman of the Federal Council of the Janata Samajbadi Party, Baburam Bhattarai has reiterated the need of forming a national government sans former prime ministers.

Taking to Twitter on Sunday, Bhattarai has said that he met Prime Minister KP Oli and suggested him to form a national government led by a prime minister other than a former prime minister.

Bhattarai had also made his stance clear last week also. However, CPN-UML leader Mahesh Basnet had claimed that Bhattarai met Prime Minister Oli and expressed his willingness to become the prime minister of the national government.

Bhattarai on Sunday clarified through a tweet saying, “Since the prime minister spoke through his envoy, I need to clarify the issue. Yes, I met Prime Minister Oli at a time when the country is in crisis. I met him in the capacity of a PM, not an individual.”

During the meeting, Bhattarai suggested PM Oli to form a national government under the leadership of a leader who is not a former PM.

“I told him to form such a national government. I then floated the issue with other leaders after PM Oli refused to do so. We have still time to form a national government in accordance with Article 76 (5). Let’s think over it,” Bhattarai has said.

Article 76 (5) of the Constitution states that the President shall appoint a member of the House of Representatives as the Prime Minister if he or she provides a basis for a vote of confidence.