Much-awaited Nepal meeting ends in deadlock, PM Oli seeks more time

The much-awaited crucial meeting of the Central Secretariat of the ruling Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) on Wednesday ended in a stalemate with Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli (pictured) demanding ten days' time to present a separate political document in response to his rival Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda's" accusations that he was running the government without consulting the party.

As soon as the meeting started at Prime Minister Oli's official residence in Baluwatar, Oli told the members of the Secretariat that he will present a separate political document in the next meeting and demanded ten days' time for preparation, party's spokesperson Narayankaji Shrestha said.

The next meeting of the Secretariat has been rescheduled for November 28, he said.

The brief meeting began at 1 pm (local time) amidst fears of splitting the largest communist party, that enjoys almost two third majority in the House of Representatives.

The meeting was supposed to discuss the 19-page political report submitted by the party's executive chairman Prachanda during Friday's Secretariat meeting in which he had accused Oli of running the government without consulting the party and failing to abide by the party's due procedures, according to sources close to the ruling party.

The meeting comes after rift resurfaced in the CPN following a meeting between Oli and his opponent Prachanda on October 31, with the prime minister hinting at splitting the party. Oli had also turned down Prachanda's request to convene a Central Secretariat meeting to resolve the ongoing power struggle.

Oli and Prachanda resolved their differences in September by agreeing to a power-sharing deal, ending the months-long dispute in the party.

All the nine members of the Secretariat were present during the crucial meeting, which was convened on the initiative of Prachanda.