The ruling Nepal Communist Party’s Standing Committee meeting on Sunday, which was expected to be crucial as the two party chairs are locked into a battle, ended without delving into the issues but with a decision to call the next meeting on Wednesday.

“The meeting today passed a condolence proposal on the death of party’s Central Committee member Kaman Singh Lama,” Narayan Kaji Shrestha, party spokesperson told the reporters after the meeting. .

Lama, also a former ambassador to South Korea, died on Friday after Covid-19-related complications.

According to party leaders, the next meeting was scheduled for Wednesday after party chair KP Sharma Oli and General Secretary Bishnu Poudel sought some more time to hold informal discussions on the ongoing party issues.

The crisis has deepened in the ruling party after chairs Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal presented their political documents levelling allegations against each other.

Chairman Oli, who had skipped the last meeting on December 6, however, was present at Sunday’s meeting. Oli instead had sent a letter calling on members to use their prudence and find a solution to the ongoing crisis.