A meeting of the Lebanese opposition to nominate a consensus prime minister candidate for next month's elections has ended inconclusively.

Aljazeera's correspondent in Beirut reported that the meeting of opposition lawmakers on Thursday ended without an agreement being reached.

The members of parliament are to resume their discussions again on Friday.

Besides deciding on a consensus prime ministerial candidate, the MPs are seeking to take a unified stance to counter what they describe as "the government's attempts to foil next month's parliamentary elections".

Contenders

Several names are in circulation for nomination as the prime ministerial candidate.

The prominent ones include:

- Najib Miqati: The MP was recommended on Thursday by the outgoing interior minister Sulayman Franjiyah. He could be acceptable to the opposition.

- Andan al-Qassarthe: As the economy minister in the outgoing government, the technocrat is close to Druze opposition leader Walid Jumblatt. Many feel his nomination could win the support of the business sector.

- Abd al-Rahid Murad: Some sections believe the nomination of the outgoing defence minister could escalate differences within the opposition.

- Laila Riyadh al-Sulh: The outgoing industry minister is closely linked to the Lebanese presidency.

- Rashid al-Sulh: A former prime minister.

PHOTO CAPTION

A Syrian soldier stands next to a military truck near the Masnaa border point with Syria in Bekaa Valley. (AFP)