KATHMANDU: The ruling CPN-UML on Saturday held its Standing Committee meeting to discuss and settle internal rifts surfaced recently.

After leaders within the party publicly made statements over continuity of the government led by its Chairman KP Sharma Oli, the Prime Minister had taken initiatives to settle the internal disputes.

In particular, the UML leaders have been making differing opinions regarding if the party had signed a gentlemen's agreement with the ruling coalition partner CPN Maoist Centre, reportedly to handover the reins of the government to the Maoist party.

Whereas Oli has been refuting media reports about existence of such an agreement, party's senior leader duo former prime ministers Madhav Kumar Nepal and Jhala Nath Khanal have been advocating for the change in government in order to pave the way for the formation of a national consensus Cabinet.

The meeting had taken place at the Prime Minister's official residence in Baluwatar.

The meeting would last for few more days as it would also discuss other internal issues of the party as well as contemporary issues of the national politics, according to the party Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai.

Bhattarai added that the party Standing Committee would hold deliberations on how the main opposition Nepali Congress could be brought into consensus.

The meeting would also form provincial committees and the advisory board.

(With inputs from the Rastriya Samachar Samiti)