KATHMANDU, Dec 22: Chairperson of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) KP Sharma Oli on Tuesday announced an 1199-member committee to organize the party's general convention.

Oli, who is also the prime minister, declared the new party committee during a meeting with the party's central committee members close to him at Baluwatar, the prime minister's official residence.

The meeting endorsed Oli’s proposal to form the new general convention organizing committee. 

The members of the newly-established general convention organizing committee took oaths at the presence of Oli. 

The newly-formed committee adds 556 members in the existing 446-member central committee of the ruling party.

Addressing central committee members of his camp, Oli said that it would not make any difference in the party if some leaders quit the party for nothing.

Oli's decision to announce the new committee comes at a time when rival factions of the ruling party are preparing to make formal announcements for a party split.

Rival factions led by Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal are holding separate central committee meetings in Kathmandu on Tuesday.

The rival faction led by Dahal is convening its central committee meeting at 1 pm at a party venue at Babarmahal in the capital.

The parallel central committee meetings of the party come three days after the Oli-led government decided to dissolve the House of Representatives and announce midterm elections next year.

Both factions of the party have intensified their efforts to retain official party recognition along with the election symbol. The two factions are now busy making strategies to wrest control of the party.

On Monday, the Dahal-led faction informed the Election Commission of the party’s Standing Committee’s decision to take action against chairperson Oli for breaching party discipline. Janardan Sharma, a Standing Committee member close to Dahal, said that today's Central Committee meeting will endorse the Standing Committee’s recommendation to take action against chairperson Oli.

At a factional gathering of lawmakers of the dissolved House of Representatives close to him on Monday, Dahal told leaders that his faction would get the EC’s official recognition since it has two-thirds majority in the party.

 
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