Prachanda faction expels Prime Minister Oli from party

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A Standing Committee meeting of the Nepal Communist Party (NCP), led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda and Madhav Kumar Nepal, has decided to expel Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli from the party on Sunday.</p>
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Spokesperson Narayan Kaji Shrestha announced this decision to the media on Sunday. The dissident faction has alleged Oli breached party discipline and is liable for  expulsion from the party. It had earlier relieved him from the post of party Chairman.</p>
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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.</p>
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Discord and division continue in the NCP, which has not split formally but has virtually fallen apart after Oli unilaterally decided to dissolve the House of Representatives on December 20 without the party's consent.</p>
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Since then, the party is acting like two parties – one headed by Oli himself and the other led by 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.</p>
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Amid this row, the Prachanda-Nepal faction has taken disciplinary action against Oli.</p>
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The faction had earlier asked Oli to furnish, within three days, an explanation why not 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.</p>
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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.</p>
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<em>(With inputs from IANS)</em></p>