KATHMANDU: Standing Committee members belonging to Dahal faction of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) have begun a meeting after they reached Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's official residence in Baluwatar.

The party leaders have claimed that co-chair Prime Minister Oli had unilaterally postponed the standing committee meeting scheduled to be held today without the consent of the other co-chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Co-chair Dahal and leaders belonging to his faction were on their way to the PM's official residence when a notice was issued of the meeting being postponed, claim the leaders. Dahal and some of the party members reached Baluwatar to carry on with the meeting anyway, as earlier planned.

Dahal's personal aide Bishnu Sapkota told THT Online that the standing committee meeting started at 2:00 pm after Dahal and senior leader Jhala Nath Khanal held a discussion with Prime Minister Oli.

However, it has been learnt that PM Oli and party leaders belonging to his faction are not present at the meeting, and are of the opinion that the ongoing meet is not a meeting of the standing committee.

Earlier today, Prime Minister’s press advisor Surya Thapa, through his official social media accounts, stated that the meeting which was scheduled for 11:00 am today had been postponed. The date for when the standing committee would meet next was not disclosed.

READ MORE: NCP’s Standing Committee meeting postponed yet again

The meeting had been scheduled for today morning after the last session ended within minutes of being started on July 21.