Nepal's Maoist former rebels gave up their claim to the post of the first president of a new republic today and said they would back a non-political candidate for the ceremonial post.
Political parties have squabbled over the key posts of president and prime minister after the Himalayan nation abolished its 239-year-old monarchy last week.
A specially elected assembly voted to end the monarchy and gave the ousted King Gyanendra 15 days to leave his official palace.
But key political parties were yet to agree on the formation of a new government and the election of a new president, with the Maoists, who scored a surprise victory in the April elections but fell short of a majority, initially claiming both roles.
But today the Maoists softened their stand after holding a series of meetings with outgoing prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala and other party leaders this week.
"Today we have decided not to stake our claim for a ceremonial president," senior Maoist leader Barsha Man Pun told reporters after a party meeting.
Analysts said despite softening their stand on the issue, differences over the formation of a new government remained.
Some leading political parties, including the centrist Nepali Congress, the second biggest group in the assembly, want to change a constitutional provision to make it easier to remove the prime minister if required.
They want to change a provision in the interim constitution, making a simple majority enough to form a government or remove the prime minister, instead of the present two-thirds majority in the 601-member assembly.
Ram Chandra Poudel, a senior leader of the Nepali Congress and the peace and reconstruction minister, says his party will not help the Maoists form a new government without the constitutional amendment.
"We cannot support another totalitarian regime after the end of the monarchy," Mr Poudel said earlier this week. Maoists control 220 members in the 601-seat assembly and are opposed to the amendment of the constitution.