Kathmandu (PTI): With Nepal's three main parties now locking horns over the proposed integration of about 19,000 Maoist combatants into the national army, a top commander of the guerrilla force has suggested that it be developed into a separate security outfit.

"There are four security wings and we can make this five by adding the PLA (People's Liberation Army)," Maoist central leader and commander Barsaman Pun told reporters.

"There will be a separate mechanism of the PLA," he was quoted as saying by the Kantipur online.

His comments came amid deepening differences among the Nepali Congress, CPN(UML) and the Maoists on the issue which has prolonged the over two-month-old stalemate over government formation.

The Maoists have registered their arms and confined the cadres of their People's Liberation Army to cantonments under UN supervision under the 2006 agreement which ended their decade long armed struggle.

"The Maoists' demand for en masse merger of their combatants has led to the deadlock in finding a consensus," sources in Nepali Congress, which lost ground in the April 10 polls after coming second to the former rebels, said.

The Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML are arguing that only after a proper scrutiny, the Maoist combatants should be integrated into the Nepal Army.

Also, Army Chief Rukmangad Katuwal has said that only qualified people can be recruited into the army.