Madhav Kumar Nepal replaces PM Oli as Nepal Communist Party chairman

Kathmandu, Dec 22: The Central Committee meeting of Pushpa Kamal Dahal ''Prachanda''-led faction of the ruling Nepal Communist Party on Tuesday removed Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli from the post of chairman, hours after the embattled premier announced a new 1,199-member committee to organise the party''s general convention in an effort to strengthen his hold on it.

The Central Committee meeting of the Prachanda-led faction unanimously nominated senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal as the party's second chairman. Prachanda is the first chairman of the party.

"Now Dahal and Nepal will chair the meetings in turn as stated in the party statue," said Rekha Sharma, a central committee member.

"Oli has been expelled as the party chair for going against the party," Sharma was quoted as saying by the Kathmandu Post.

Earlier in the day, the warring factions of the party held separate Central Committee meetings.

Oli, one of the two chairmen of the ruling party, announced the new committee during a meeting of the party''s Central Committee members close to him at Baluwatar, the prime minister''s official residence.