Top leaders of the UCPN (Maoist) and the Nepali Congress met Friday in a bid to narrow down their differences on the most contentious issues of the new constitution – state restructuring and form of governance.

The meeting held at Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal's Lazimpat residence could not come to any closer from the point where the three parties had ended their two-day marathon talks at Hattiban Resort few days back. However, leaders said they were going to continue bilateral discussion to settle the differences.

According to Maoist secretary Post Bahadur Bogati, who was present at the meeting, the two parties agreed to "move ahead by realising the gravity of the situation".

NC vice president Ram Chandra Poudel said the talks centred on state restructuring and the form of governance and that other issues would come up in the upcoming meetings.

The meeting will continue Saturday as well. nepalnews.com