The secretariat meeting of ruling CPN has nominated leaders joining the party quitting Baburam Bhattarai-led Naya Shakti Party and Netra Bikram Chand-led CPN as central members.
The meeting chaired by Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal at the party's central office in Dhumbarahi on Monday has ushered Devendra Parajuli and Kalpana Dhamala, who quit the then Naya Shakti, and Padam Rai and Kiran Rai, who quit the Chand-led, CPN, into the central committee. All four leaders were initially with the then CPN (Maoist Center).
The party's central committee is 444-strong now after induction of the quartet despite the party statute limiting it to 441. Resignation of Dr Bansidhar Mishra, after being recommended for ambassador to Bangladesh, had reduced the central committee to 440.
The meeting has also made some changes in sister organizations and departments. Bhanubhakta Dhakal will head the Defense Department and Pam Kumar Rai will be his deputy.
Similarly, Bishnu Rizal has been appointed deputy chief of the foreign department headed by Madhav Kumar Nepal. Ram Karki was initially appointed deputy chief of the department.
This was the first secretariat meeting chaired by Dahal 15 months after becoming co-chairman of the party.
The party's last secretariat meeting held at the prime minister's (PM) official residence in Baluwatar on Thursday had decided that Dahal can run the party and complete the remaining works of unification in absence of PM and another chairman KP Sharma Oli paving the way for him to chair the party's meetings.
