Kathmandu, Feb. 29 -- The widening distance between the Maoist Centre and the Nepali Congress, two big parties in Nepal, over the claim for chairmanship of the National Assembly has threatened the already fragile ruling coalition.

The Maoist Centre, upon concluding its Standing Committee meeting on Wednesday, decided to contest for the chairmanship of the National Assembly. Earlier, the Chairman of the Maoist Centre and incumbent Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal had assured the Nepali Congress (NC) that it would support Congress during the election for Chairman of the Upper House or the National Assembly.

"Our comrades suggested that the party field its own candidate for the post (Chairman of the National Ass0embly) in the Standing Com...