KATHMANDU: Major political parties on Sunday briefed President Bidya Devi Bhandari about their efforts to form a national consensus government, which however seem unlikely to materialise, within the time frame she had given.

On last Monday, President Bhandari had called parties represented in the Parliament to form a national consensus government based on common understanding by today.

Hours before expiry of the deadline, senior leaders of major political parties including Acting Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli, Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, CPN Maoist Centre Chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal Chairman Kamal Thapa and Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Democratic Chairman Bijay Kumar Gachhadar had called the Head of the State at her office, Sheetal Niwas today.

It has been learned that the parties told the President that they could not forge consensus to form the consensus government and requested her to make a fresh call for the majority government so that the Parliament can begin the PM's election process.

Jibachha Sah, Personal Secretary of the President, who also looks after public relations, said that the President, however, urged the political leaders to make more effort for the consensus government, according to a Rastriya Samachar Samiti report.

Sah said the President is nevertheless likely to give the political leaders a week's time frame to form a majority government on Monday.

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• Slim chances of consensus govt