KATHMANDU: Second-tier leaders of the two factions of the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) held stepped-up discussions on the possibility of party unity.

Lumbini Chief Minister Shankar Pokhrel and leader of the Prachanda-Nepal faction Ghanshyam Bhusal held around 45-minute talks at the Parliamentary Party Office in Singha Durbar Thursday.

The second-tier leaders of both the factions have stepped up discussions for party unity of late.

According to leader Bhusal, the discussion basically focussed on narrowing down the differences between the two NCP factions.

He said that they agreed on the need for unity.

The NCP has witnessed a vertical split after President Bidya Devi Bhandari dissolved the House of Representatives on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers on December 20.

Since then, senior leaders of the factions have been engaged in criticizing one other.