A union between Al-Maliki’s State of Law and the Iraqi National Alliance, two of the top three vote-getters in Iraq’s March 7 parliamentary election, could sideline secularist former Premier Iyad Allawi, whose cross-sectarian Iraqiya coalition won strong support from minority Sunnis.

A merger could also push aside Al-Maliki, who wants another term at the helm. One of INA’s major components, the Sadrist movement of anti-American cleric Moqtada Al-Sadr, was the top vote-getter for INA and has poor relations with the premier.

The makeup of the next government is being watched closely by Washington, which plans to formally end combat operations in Iraq by Sept. 1, and by global oil companies that have signed multibillion-dollar contracts to develop Iraq’s oilfields.

“There has been more than one meeting with INA to reach a deal to form an alliance or merge both coalitions,” Sami Al-Askari, a prominent member of Al-Maliki’s State of Law, said.

State of Law is running in a virtual dead heat with Allawi’s coalition. None of the leading blocs is expected to win enough seats to form a government alone and talks between parties and coalitions about potential alliances are in full swing.

The final preliminary vote count is scheduled to be released on Friday, nearly three weeks after the election.

Allawi’s Iraqiya drew strong support from Iraq’s minority Sunni population and analysts have said any attempt to exclude Iraqiya from the government could anger Sunnis.

“There is a necessity to merge the State of Law coalition and the Iraqi National Alliance,” Ali Al-Dabbagh, who serves as Al-Maliki’s government spokesman, said in a written statement.