Kathmandu, March 31 -- The ruling and opposition parties have failed to agree on whether to form a parliamentary panel to investigate fraud charges against Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Rabi Lamichhane, as they continue to stick to their old stands.

The Nepali Congress has been warning that if the probe panel is not formed, the lower house proceedings will be halted starting the next meeting. However, the ruling parties have opposed such a demand.

Speaker Devraj Ghimire, on Saturday morning, called a meeting of the chief whips and whips of major parties to find a meeting point but there could be no consensus.

Sushila Thing, a Congress whip, told the meeting that her party wants an impartial investigation of the fr...