KATHMANDU: CPN-UML’s disgruntled Nepal-Khanal faction has cancelled Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) founding day celebrations on April 22.

Issuing a press release Tuesday afternoon, the faction cancelled the program, which was meant to rejuvenate the communist spirit amid ongoing conflict in the party, citing rapid resurgence of coronavirus cases.

The group earlier in the day announced it would celebrate the 72nd founding day of the CPN at 12:30 pm at Pragya Pratisthan, Kamaladi, Kathmandu, on April 22. This main event has been put off.

However, the faction says it will continue with the celebrations in districts, where virus cases are relatively low, in subdued manner.

Senior leaders, including former Prime Ministers duo Madhav Kumar Nepal and Jhala Nath Khanal, were scheduled to address the main program at Kamaladi, as per the press release issued earlier in the day.