KATHMANDU, Feb 9: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who is also the chairperson of a faction of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP), has reached the Election Commission office to take stock of the poll body's preparations for the upcoming midterm elections and demand that his faction be granted the official recognition as the legitimate NCP and the election symbol ‘sun’.
The prime minister is accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Ishwar Pokharel, Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel, Law Minister Leela Nath Shrestha and NCP leader Subash Nembang.
Oli is visiting the EC office at a time when the two rival factions of the NCP are struggling hard to be recognized as the official party legally.
Election Commission issues 17-point election directive
Earlier, both rival factions of the NCP sent separate letters to the commission and claimed that they should be granted the official recognition.
However, the EC refused to recognize any of the two factions of the ruling NCP as the official party concluding that both the factions led by Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal are one party, at least on the legal ground.
The ruling NCP witnessed a vertical split after Prime Minister Oli abruptly dissolved the House of Representatives and announced midterm elections for April 30 and May 10.
