Kathmandu, Dec. 28 -- Despite claims that the Rastriya Swatantra Party and Kathmandu mayor Balendra (Balen) Shah would together go to the March 5 elections, there was no agreement between the two sides until 11pm on Saturday.

Although an understanding was said to have been reached on Friday at the taskforce-level, awaiting formalisation on Saturday, talks could make no headway as both sides were firm on their respective positions.

In this state of deadlock, later in the day, Mayor Shah sat down with Kulman Ghising, the patron of the Ujyalo Party Nepal (UNP) and sitting minister for energy, water resources and irrigation, in order to forge an agreement that could unite "all alternate forces". RSP chair Rabi Lamichhane later joined the me...