Kathmandu, July 31 -- Factional feud in the primary opposition Nepali Congress is rearing its ugly head once again.

The two factions led by party President Sher Bahadur Debua and senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel are now at odds after the former started to make some unilateral moves, filling in candidates of his choice in the party departments. In a surprise move, Deuba on Wednesday announced the formation of a 479-member "senior political assembly" under him, much to the Poudel faction's chagrin.

The Poudel faction protested, but Deuba refused to relent. Instead, he decided to appoint members in 20 party departments. The party has a total of 42 departments, but they are yet to get full shape due to factional feuds.

"Internal democracy ...