KATHMANDU: CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has once again directed Sudurpaschim Province Assembly members to enforce the party’s decision to replace the parliamentary party leader, marking his fifth attempt to resolve the dispute.

During a meeting at Khumaltar on Wednesday, Prachanda urged lawmakers to act on the decision, emphasizing consensus. Current leader Man Bahadur Dhami expressed willingness to cooperate, but five lawmakers remain unconvinced.

The dispute dates back to January 2023, when Dhami replaced Khagaraj Bhatt, a move the party later attempted to reverse. Multiple directives from Prachanda have gone unimplemented.

With the 11 Maoist lawmakers in Sudurpaschim evenly divided, the deadlock continues. Factional rivalries within the party further complicate the issue, raising doubts over whether Prachanda’s latest intervention will succeed in resolving the ongoing leadership struggle.