Former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba says he has not yet received any official letter delegating him with power to negotiate with the Maoists.

"Until now I have not received a letter granting me that authority although the prime minister has been saying that it has been given to me, said Deuba. "I have begun talking to them (the Maoists) on the basis of his verbal assurance."

Deuba said that it had been more than a month since he had handed over a letter written by Prachanda (General Secretary of the CPN-Maoist) to the prime minister to which there had been no official response. "Till today the prime minister has not said anything to me about that letter."

"He speaks whatever comes to his mind at public functions," said Deuba. \'\'Sometimes he tells Padma Ratna (Tuladhar) to initiate the talks, and sometimes he asks Shailendra Kumar Upadhyaya to take the lead. I have managed to create an environment to bring the Maoists to the negotiating table but he does not trust me."