(Bloomberg) -- A pro-military political party in Thailand plans to extend invitations Monday to two swing parties to join its coalition, taking it closer to forming a government after March’s disputed election.

Palang Pracharath will invite the Democrat and Bhum Jai Thai parties as it wants "unity in forming an administration," its leader Uttama Savanayana said in a Facebook post late Sunday. Such an alliance would help the country rise above political conflict and build economic confidence, he said.

Palang Pracharath was carved out of the junta that seized power in 2014 and which finally held long-delayed elections two months ago. Adding the two swing parties will take its alliance closer to a majority in the 500-seat elected lower house. But an anti-junta alliance controls almost half the chamber, pointing to the risk of legislative gridlock and instability as the two sides feud.

The Democrat and Bhum Jai Thai parties have yet to officially say if they will accept the invitations.

Coup leader Prayuth Chan-Ocha, the Palang Pracharath candidate, is seen as the front-runner to return as premier as early as this week. The prime minister will be selected by a joint vote of the elected lower chamber and an appointed Senate replete with junta allies.

Foreign investors have pulled out a net $1.3 billion from Thai stocks and bonds in 2019 amid the uncertain political outlook. The export-reliant economy is already slowing as the U.S.-China trade war takes its toll.

Critics say the March poll was unfair with rules stacked in favor of the military establishment. The Election Commission has said there’s no reason to invalidate the vote.

--With assistance from Anchalee Worrachate.

To contact the reporter on this story: Sunil Jagtiani in Bangkok at sjagtiani@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Sunil Jagtiani at sjagtiani@bloomberg.net, Linus Chua

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