Top leaders of eight parties have gathered in Baluwatar for the crucial meeting to end the prevailing deadlock in the politics.

Although the meeting was to begin at 8 am, it could start only two hours late since general secretary of Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) arrived late from Birgunj.

Before the start of collective discussions, Prime Minister Koirala held a separate meeting with Maoist chairman Prachanda.

The eight party meeting is expected to take up issues such as declaring new date for Constituent Assembly (CA) elections; resolving impasse seen in the parliament; Melamchi problem; fuel crisis; and Terai unrest.

The eight party leaders are meeting after a long time since tensions had brewed among them following the announcement by the Election Commission of its inability to hold CA polls in June. They engaged in trading blames at each other with some parties led by Maoists demanding that republic be announced immediately through the parliament.