Senior Nepal Communist Party leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha has tendered his resignation as party spokesperson following argument with Co-chairman KP  Sharma Oli.

At a recent NCP Secretariat meeting, PM Oli sought clarification from Shrestha over his meeting with Dr Govinda KC who was on a hunger strike demanding reforms in the medical education sector. During the meeting, Shrestha spoke in favour of Dr KC’s “Satyagraha” and urged the government to consider his demands.

While Shrestha was speaking, PM Oli intervened and asked him why he had met Dr KC without party’s permission. The PM said Dr KC was staging a hunger strike at the behest of some elements that are hatching conspiracy to fail the government.PM Oli called the Mathema report “against people’s will and reactionary”, according to NCP leaders present at the meeting. Then a heated debate ensued between PM Oli and Shrestha over Dr KC’s hunger strike. The PM also took strong exception to Shrestha’s meeting with former chief justice Sushila Karki and human rights activist Krishna Pahadi who were supporting Dr KC’s hunger strike.

And when fellow co-chair Dahal echoed PM Oli, Shrestha said he was stepping down as party spokesperson, said an NCP leader.

Shrestha confirmed that he had put down his papers but declined to elaborate.