Kathmandu, April 29 As the bitter battle between Nepal's ruling Maoist party and army chief General Rookmangud Katawal showed no sign of any resolution, India's Ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood on Wednesday met opposition leader and former prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala for consultations.

Sood met Koirala a day after Maoist Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' met the veteran leader, who is regarded as the architect of the peace negotiations that helped the Maoists return to mainstream politics and end the decade-old armed uprising.

The envoy met Koirala, who also heads the main opposition Nepali Congress (NC) party, after the NC, Maoists and the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (UML), the third largest party in Nepal, on Wednesday held talks to defuse the row but failed.

Now the big three have decided to call a meeting between their top leaders to find a way out of the crisis that has gripped the Himalayan republic since early this year.

The continuing feud has also triggered concern from the UN that said strained ties between the major political parties could block the long-awaited unification of the Maoists guerrilla fighters with the state troops.

It remains to be seen if Sood's meeting with Koirala will help.

Earlier this month, Sood met Prachanda thrice but the Maoists have turned down India's advise not to tamper with the army's chain of command.