NCP forms six-member taskforce to end internal rift

KATHMANDU: The ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) has formed a six-member taskforce headed by NCP General Secretary Bishnu Poudel entrusting it to recommend suggestions to end the party’s internal issues that have surfaced in the last few months.

Members in the taskforce include Bhim Rawal, Shankar Pokhrel, Janardhan Sharma, Pampha Bhusal and Surendra Pandey.

A meeting between NCP Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Prime Minister KP Oli on Friday formed the taskforce to end the ongoing internal disputes.

The leadership has instructed the taskforce to submit their report along with recommendations at the earliest.

Dahal and Oli, meanwhile, have intensified meetings to resolve their differences on some thorny issues in the party since yesterday.

According to Baluwatar sources, the two chairmen who sat in the meeting on Thursday following a hiatus of nine days met on Friday to discuss the agendas prepared by the second-rung leaders.

Oli, in the meeting, had proposed to empower Dahal with more responsibilities, to convert the existing central committee of the party into the General Convention Organizing committee and hold  it in March, 2021.

Dahal briefed the leaders of his camp about the meeting held with Prime Minister Oli at Thapagan on Thursday evening.

NCP senior leaders including Jhala Nath Khanal, Madhav Kumar Nepal and Spokesperson Narayan Kaji Shrestha were in the meeting.

Besides, around 20 central committee leaders loyal to Dahal were also in the meeting.

The meeting between Chairman Dahal and Oli had agreed to sit for another round of talks to thrash out the differences.

Thursday’s meeting had also focused on formation of party General Convention Organizing Committee, dissolution of the central committee, among others.

According to Baluwatar sources, Dahal and PM Oli also held talks on contemporary politics, basically on power sharing, among other issues.

The two top leaders are at loggerheads with Dahal and his camp demanding the resignation of PM Oli while the latter is adamant to his stance of not stepping down at any cost.