Second generation leaders of the faction of CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and the Khanal-Nepal faction held a four-hour meeting about party unity Monday night.
Surendra Pandey, Ghanashyam Bhusal, Gokarna Bista and Yogesh Bhattarai represented the dissident faction and Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel, standing committee member Subash Chandra Nembang and Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali represented Oli in the meeting at a hotel in Durbar Marg.
"We held a long discussion about party unity. The closed door for discussion has been opened. We will now brief the leaders of our respective factions about this," a leader who attended the meeting told Setopati. "We talked about a lot of issues as this was an informal discussion. But the main issue of returning the party to the state before unification with CPN (Maoist Center) is important."
Oli and Nepal had formed a 10-strong task force including five leaders each from their respective factions for dialogue but the task force has not met for a long time now.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishwar Pokharel has held multiple meetings with Nepal and Jhala Nath Khanal at their respective residences in the intervening period but to no avail.
The Khanal-Nepal faction is adamant on returning the party to the state before unification with CPN (Maoist Center) but Oli is not ready for that.
Oli has already expelled 13 lawmakers including Khanal, Nepal, Mukunda Neupane and Bhim Rawal, and has sought explanation from 12 including Pandey and Bhusal but the leaders have yet to submit their explanation.
The leaders of Oli faction are expected to brief Oli about the discussion with the dissident faction during the standing committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday. A party source confided that Oli will not take action against 12 leaders if he is satisfied with the briefing, and will punish them if he is not.
