Nepal: PM Oli, Dahal end party talks without reaching consensus, further meetings to continue

Kathmandu [Nepal], July 6 : Nepal Communist Party (NCP) co-chairs Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli ended their meeting without reaching any consensus over any issues, as per sources close to the matter.
During the meeting which lasted for almost two hours, the two chairs of NCP decided to continue further talks to de-escalate the situation inside the party, sources said.
Dahal paid a visit to Oli at his residence in Baluwatar earlier today after talks between the two senior party failed to reach any conclusion on Sunday.
According to leaders, time is yet to be fixed for a meeting between the two chairs.
The NCP is in the verge of a split with the Oli and Dahal factions hardening their positions.
The Dahal faction, backed by senior leaders including Madhav Nepal and Jhalanath Khanal, has been demanding that Oli step down both as party chair and prime minister. Oli, however, has refused to budge.
During their Friday talks, which lasted around three hours, Dahal had reiterated his position that Oli should step down but the latter refused, saying he was open to discuss any other issue, except for his resignation.
The NCP Standing Committee meeting, which also was scheduled to start earlier today to deliberate on the fate of the ruling party, was differed till June 8.
Oli has faced strong criticism in the standing committee meeting held on June 30, with most of the members demanding his resignation.
The Prime Minister has been criticised within and outside the party for the government's 'failure' to address a range of issues, particularly after he made a public statement that India is trying to topple him.