KATHMANDU: The much-awaited talks between Prime Minister KP Oli and Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, that were billed as 'decisive' have ended.
Party sources said the two top guns would meet again before the scheduled Standing Committee meeting on Monday morning.
It has been learned that in tomorrow's meeting, Oli and Dahal decided to look for ways to build consensus on thorny issues.
In the midst of rumors that the governing Nepal Communist Party (NCP) is moving for a split, a 'decisive' meeting was held this morning at the official residence of the Prime Minister in Baluwatar between NCP chairmen Oli and Dahal 'Prachanda'
The conference had started at about 12 noon as a last-ditch attempt to avoid the party break.
Also present at the meeting were two members from two groups-Bishnu Poudel and Shankar Pokharel from Oli faction and Barshaman Pun and Janardan Sharma from Dahal party.
Earlier today at Shital Niwas, dissatisfied members of the NCP held consultations with President Bidhya Devi Bhandari.
The NCP leaders, dismissing allegations that they were planning to impeach President Bidhya Devi Bhandari, had clarified with the later that they had no such intent.
"The accusations are absolutely unfounded," sources quoted as saying the leaders who had entered the office of the president this morning to hold consultations with the president.
They told President Bhandari that the rumor was intended to defame the leaders and the entire NCP community, sources said.
On Saturday night, Prime Minister KP Oli alleged that the dissident leaders conspired to impeach the president and overthrow the prime minister.
NCP Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Senior Leader Madhav Kumar Nepal, Jhalanath Khanal and Speaker Narayan Kaji Shrestha had reached the President's Office, Shital Niwas, in order to explain the issue and address current political developments.
In the last few weeks, the two camps – PM Oli and Dahal, Nepal and Khanal – are at loggerheads with some serious issues , especially after PM Oli alleged the dissident faction of dancing to India's tune to oust him.
Meanwhile, on Monday, the party's Standing Committee meeting will resume to thrash out the differences.
Speculations that PM Oli is covertly carrying out proposals for dividing the group are rife. The meeting held last Wednesday between PM Oli and President Sher Bahadur Deuba of the Nepali Congress (NC) is regarded with skepticism as observers notice that the Prime Minister can to any degree, including forming a coalition with the NC to form a new government under his leadership.
The meeting of the two opposing sides scheduled for Saturday could not be held as the top leaders, who tried to find a way out by postponing Thursday's ongoing standing committee meeting, were engaged in flexing muscles rather than resolving the conflict.
