Five NCP leaders including Prachanda holding meeting at Dhumbarahi

KATHMANDU: Five leaders, including Executive Chairman of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, are holding discussions at the party headquarters in Dhumbarahi on Tuesday.

Prachanda, senior leaders Jhalanath Khanal and Madhav Kumar Nepal, Vice-Chairman Bamdev Gautam and Spokesperson Narayankaji Shrestha are discussing again after NCP Chairman and PM KP Oli refused to summon Secretariat meeting.

Before the meeting, Chairman Prachanda held talks with PM Oli at the latter’s official residence in Baluwatar.

The informal meeting held on Friday had decided to request PM Oli to summon a formal meeting.

It should be noted that NCP leaders who reached Baluwatar on Saturday afternoon with a letter demanding an immediate meeting of the Secretariat, however, had returned empty-handed failing to convince Prime Minister Oli.

No agreement was reached between PM Oli and the disgruntled faction led by Prachanda on convening the meeting of the nine-member Secretariat pushing further uncertainty within the party.

Earlier, PM Oli had warned that provided a meeting is called without his consent, he would regard it as the starting point for party split.

It is still unclear if today’s meeting is formal or informal.