Kathmandu, July 21:

Talks slated for today between top leaders of the Nepali Congress (NC) and NC (D) could not take place due to “busy schedule” of the senior leaders of both the parties. No fresh date has been suggested for the crucial unification talks.

An NC source had said yesterday that NC president and prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala will meet NC (D) president Sher Bahadur Deuba today.

The NC source said that talks could not take place largely because NC vice-president Sushil Koirala “is away in Nepalgunj and Girijababu too is busy.”

The same source said that both the leaders have not yet agreed to the formula suggested for unification.

The source said that Deuba and Koirala have not yet agreed on “who gets what” in the unified party. This is delaying the unification, the source said.

Meanwhile, PM Koirala today reassured a delegation of the Nepal Women’s Association (NWA) that the unification of the NC with NC (D) will take place before the constituent assembly elections.

The delegation led by Ambika Basnet had visited Baluwatar to submit a memorandum.

“Unfication of the two parties will happen and it will happen before the CA elections take place in November. There is no need for the party workers to panic,” a woman leader quoted Koirala as saying.