KATHMANDU: President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Monday asked the political parties in the Parliament to elect new Prime Minister on the basis of political consensus within seven days.

A statement issued by the Office of the President said the President has called the parties to elect the Prime Minister and form the government following the invocation of Article 305 on removal of difficulties, and Article 298 (2) of Nepal's Constitution.

Earlier, she had told the top leaders of three biggest political parties to forward the new government formation process with ease.

Inviting Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, Acting Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and CPN Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal at the Sheetal Niwas today, the Head of the State also extended her suggestion that they should move ahead in consensus, according to Dahal's secretariat.

In response, Deuba and Dahal, who are in a bid to form the coalition government, said they were also of the view that all parties should be taken into confidence while running the new government.

They also expressed their determination to implementation of the Constitution and cooperation on issues of the national interest, according to Dahal's secretariat.

The outgoing Prime Minister Oli, who is currently in a caretaker role, said his party CPN-UML would extend support to the new government in issues of the national interest.

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(Updated)