Discord and division continue inside the Nepal Communist Party, which has not split formally but seem to have fallen apart after Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli unilaterally decided to dissolve the House of Representatives on Wednesday, 20 December, without the party's consent.
Since then, the Nepal Communist Party is acting like two parties – one headed by Oli himself and the other led by former Prime Ministers Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda and Madhav Kumar Nepal. Both sides are running separate programmes across the country under the same banner as they await official recognition from the Election Commission.
Amid this row, the Prachanda-Nepal faction has taken disciplinary action against Oli.
A Standing Committee meeting of the faction held on Sunday, 24 January, decided to expel Oli from the party, its spokesperson Narayan Kaji Shrestha told the media.
The dissident faction has alleged that Oli breached the party discipline and is liable to expulsion from the party. It had earlier relieved him from the post of party chairman.
According to Pampha Bhusal, leader of the dissident faction, Sunday's meeting decided to expel Oli even from the general membership, accusing him of violating the party statutes.
"He (Oli) is not even an ordinary member of the party now," Bhusal said.
The faction had earlier asked Oli to furnish, within three days, an explanation why no action should be not taken against him for anti-party activities.
The faction had handed over this notice to the Prime Minister's residence. However, Oli did not respond to the letter.
Sunday's meeting also reviewed the protest programme and discussed a new protest plan.
The faction had taken to the streets against the dissolution of the House of Representatives, terming the move unconstitutional and undemocratic.
(This story has been published in an arrangement with IANS)
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