KATHMANDU: The Nepali Congress (NC) has decided to stake a claim to form a new government after holding talks with all political parties.

The NC office-bearers’ meeting held Tuesday decided to discuss the formation of the government with the Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) and even UML senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal.

Informing about the decisions of today’s meeting NC leader Ram Chandra Poudel said, “We have decided to move forward as decided earlier by Central Working Committee (CWC). The NC will stake claim for forming a government and there is no difference of opinion about it inside the party.”

NC Deputy General Secretary Dr Prakash Sharam Mahat said the party hoped the JSP would unitedly support NC’s proposal in this context as JSP Chairman Upendra Yadav and Maoist Center Chairman Pushpa Kama Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and NC President Deuba jointly urged President Bhandari to initiate the government formation process. “We want the JSP to unite to support our proposal,” he said.

The NC has decided to hold talks with the disgruntled faction of the CPN-UML led by Madhav Kumar Nepal as they abstained from the vote Monday in the parliament as they are dissatisfied with the establishment faction of the UML. “We will seek the support of the Nepal faction of the UML as well,” Mahat said.

President Bidhya Devi Bhandari has called on political parties to come forward by May 13. “By Thursday situation might change. We can see discontent in the UML. There is a high possibility of JPS coming together to support us. The Maoist Center is already with us. If all three parties are together, we will have the majority. Moreover, there is a possibility of majority beyond this as well,” said Mahat.