Nepal's ruling party standing committee meet deferred for second time since July 4

The meeting of the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) standing committee was deferred for July 8 on Monday, the second time since July 4. The crucial talks between embattled Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli and the ruling Nepal Communist Party's executive chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' on the issue of power-sharing will take place on Monday to sort out their differences.

This was scheduled ahead of the Standing Committee meeting. Their talks ended without any outcome on July 5 (Sunday), but they agreed to meet again.

The Prachanda faction, backed by senior leaders including Madhav Nepal and Jhalanath Khanal, has been demanding PM Oli's resignation. The Nepali PM has seen growing criticism against him over mishandling of the coronavirus COVID-19 crisis, going overboard in criticism against India and maintaining radio silence on Chinese activities in the country.

An appeal has been made to the nation's President Bidhya Devi Bhandari that she should refrain from any controversial decisions like the ordinance to split party or emergency, that PM Oli may attempt. The leaders also assured her that any reports of impeachment against the President was misinformation ploy by Oli's Team.

Sources said that the President asked these leaders to drop their demand of PM Oli's resignation and co-operate with him. It was suggested that if this was done, Oli may consider the demand for stepping down from the position of party chair. It is learnt that this proposition has been rejected by the Prachanda camp who have made Oli's resignation from PM's post the bottom-line.

As Prachanda's faction remained adamant on PM's resignation, Oli suggested that he would not be attending the standing committee scheduled for Monday in that case. However, Prachanda and faction insist the meeting can't be postponed further. 

The twice-postponed powerful Standing Committee meeting of the party on Monday is expected to decide on the political future of the 68-year-old prime minister. On July 4, a crucial meeting of the 45-member Standing Committee was postponed until Monday to allow more time for the top leadership to iron out their differences over Oli's style of functioning and anti-India statements.

Meanwhile, Oli has met with the opposition Nepali Congress chief Sher Bahadur Deuba. Although it is not clear what issues were discussed during their meeting, there is speculation that Oli might have sought Deuba's backing to save his government in case the ruling party splits.

At least three ministers contested Oli's statements about the conspiracy to impeach the President. "Ministers including Barshaman Pun, Ghanashyam Bhusal and Parbat Gurung had urged the prime minister that the two-party chairs, who are responsible for the party unity, should find a way to resolve the ongoing conflict," news agency PTI quoted a minister.