Kathmandu, June 5

A meeting of Nepal Communist Party (NCP)’s Central Secretariat, also known as the party’s high command, convened today to finalise in-charges and co-in-charges of district committees ended indecisively after leaders failed to agree on one-person-one-post provision.

The meeting held at Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s official residence in Baluwatar did not even discuss candidates for appointments and the talks were limited to selection criteria, according to NCP Spokesperson Narayan Kaji Shrestha.

The secretariat had also met for the same purpose yesterday, and leaders had said the issue would be finalised today. “Nonetheless, discussions are heading towards conclusion. Hopefully, we will take a decision tomorrow,” Shrestha told THT.

The meeting is scheduled to be held at 11:00am tomorrow at the prime minister’ s official residence in Baluwatar.

Party insiders, however, say the major bone of contention was differences over one-person-one-post provision among leaders representing the then CPN-UML.

According to a party source, the Madhav Kumar Nepal faction is for not assigning any party responsibilities to leaders, who have been elected to the Parliament.

On the other hand, Oli is of the view that there’s nothing wrong in assigning party responsibilities to the elected members.

At the same time, NCP Cochair Pushpa Kamal Dahal is for a middle path. He is of the view that the decision should not be delayed, while disputes could be settled gradually.

“The crux of the matter is, all the top leaders want their near and dear ones to be appointed to party posts.

Hence, the delay,” said the source.

The party plans to form its 147-member politburo and other departments only after finalising district in-charges and co-in-charges.

Even one year after the two communist parties — the then CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist Centre — merged, the unification process remains incomplete.

The party had already announced chairs and secretaries of all the district committees.

Another major hurdle in the merger process is factional rift in the leadership.

PM Oli, Dahal and another senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal are competing to appoint their aides in the committees and other key posts.

The party is yet to form its sister wings, including a Madhes Committee. The party’s eight central agencies are yet to be formed.

Provincial council and relation coordination committee are also yet to be formed.

The party is working to form an international coordination committee as well.

Inter-party wrangling has already surfaced among Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa and senior leader Bam Dev Gautam, with each claiming leadership of the organisation department — the most powerful body of the party.