KATHMANDU: A meeting among the Nepali Congress (NC), CPN (Maoist Center) and Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) is underway in Budhanilkantha, Kathmandu.

NC President Sher Bahadaur Deuba Thursday called a three-party meeting at 3 pm on Friday. Senior leaders of all the three political parties are attending the meeting at NC Preisdent Deuba’s residence in Budhanilkantha.

They include Maoist Center Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, leaders Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Dev Gurung; JSP leaders Mahantha Thakur, Rajendra Mahato, Babu Ram Bhattarai and Upendra Yadav; and senior NC leaders.

The three-party meeting is expected to explore possibilities for a new power-sharing deal.

Addressing a program earlier Friday, Deuba was positive about lending support to other parties for new government-formation. Any party can stake claim to government formation, the NC would support the move for an alternative government, NC President Deuba said.

It has been learnt that JSP leaders held an internal discussion among themselves near Budhanilkantha before reaching Deuba’s residence.

It is worth noting that NC President Deuba had extended special invitation to leaders of an internally-divided JSP.

Earlier, Thakur and Mahato had expressed discontent at NC decision to lead the new government. They had said the decision was NC’s alone, and they were not consulted about it.