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Kathmandu, Dec 14:  A sharp dispute has erupted in the CPN UML central committee meeting over the question of amending the party statute. The row began after moves to amend the statute to increase the number of party office bearers and central committee members.

Under the party’s general convention schedule, a closed-door session was supposed to begin this morning. But the session has been postponed to the afternoon in preparation for a possible statute amendment.

Meeting sources say party chair KP Sharma Oli himself has not formally proposed statute amendment as an agenda item. But leaders close to him have been raising the issue from the floor. As the matter was brought up in this way, another faction strongly objected, leading to heated exchanges.

The dispute has taken on added significance as senior vice chair Ishwar Pokhrel is preparing to challenge Oli for the party presidency at this convention. According to meeting sources, the Pokhrel camp has opposed the proposal to amend the statute.

The party had endorsed the statute in September through a special statute convention. Opponents are questioning why a statute approved just three months ago needs to be amended so soon, a question that has fueled the intense dispute within the meeting.

People’s news monitoring service