Kathmandu, Feb. 6 -- Factional feud in the Nepali Congress has deepened after several senior party leaders including former and present office bearers were excluded from a party meet in Pokhara.

Ironically, the objective of the Pokhara orientation programme was to unify the party, as claimed by the Central Policy, Investigation and Training Academy, which organised the event for the party's district presidents and vice-presidents. Party vice-president Purna Bahadur Khadka heads the academy.

According to the Congress, all 77 district presidents and vice-presidents were invited to the three-day programme starting Monday. However, senior party leaders such as Shekhar Koirala, Shashanka Koirala, Krishna Prasad Sitaula, Bimalendra Nidhi and ...