Now, the once underground party's attempt to seize a senior parliamentary committee post also seems to be doomed with the ruling coalition this week deciding to support its rival, the candidate fielded by the second largest party, the Nepali Congress.

The constitutional committee, which will play an important role in the promulgation of a new constitution in May 2010, was headed by Nepal.

The post fell vacant after Nepal became prime minister following the fall of the Prachanda government in May.

Now the Maoist bid to appoint former finance minister Baburam Bhattarai as chairman of the committee is likely to fail with the 22 parties deciding not to support him during the Aug 17 election.

Besides being criticised by the major parties for bringing parliament to a halt, Prachanda has also drawn flak from his own party members for taking his wife and son along with him on the London trip.