Ruling Nepal Communist Party chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Thursday morning held discussions with leaders close to the other chair and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

Dahal’s press advisor Bishnu Sapkota confirmed the meeting at Khumaltar.

Party General Secretary Bishnu Poudel, Deputy Prime Minister Ishwor Pokhrel, Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali, Chief Minister of Province 5 Shankar Pokhrel, Prime Minister Oli’s chief advisor Bishnu Rimal and deputy Parliamentary Party leader Subash Nembang had reached Dahal’s residence in Khumaltar at around 8:30 this morning, according to a leader.

“The visiting leaders told Dahal that there is no alternative for the two chairs [Dahal and Oli] to forge an agreement,” said Pampha Bhusal, a Standing Committee member, who was present at the meeting. “In response, Dahal told them that the prime minister should follow the party’s system, procedures and its decisions.”

Senior leaders in the ruling party including Dahal, Madhav Kumar Nepal, Jhalanath Khanal and Bamdev Gautam have upped the ante against Oli, demanding that he resign both as party chair and prime minister.

On Wednesday, the Dahal-Nepal faction held a meeting in Jhamsikhel where, according to insiders, they planned a strategy that to the possible extent they should try to settle the power struggle amicably. That largely means asking Oli to step down.

Thursday’s meeting at Khumaltar was part of that strategy.

The Dahal-Nepal faction appears firm this time to force Oli to capitulate from the Standing Committee if he refuses to abide by the party decisions.

In the 44-member Standing Committee, the Dahal-Nepal faction controls the majority.

The Standing Committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday as well.

It was earlier set to start at 11am but Oli suddenly called a Cabinet meeting for 12pm.