Kathmandu, Feb. 5 -- The tit-for-tat show of force between rival factions of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) continued on Friday with Prime Minister K P Oli choosing the symbolic venue of the former royal palace in Kathmandu to address thousands of his supporters.

Despite overcast skies, a chilly wind and the threat of rain, Oli and his loyalists sat on an elaborate stage erected at the gates of the Narayanhiti Palace, and facing the T-intersection of the tree-lined Darbar Marg.

"We thought we would have stability after winning the 2017 elections, but there was instability within the party," Oli said. "However, we will not let their effort to sabotage Nepal's march to prosperity succeed."

He boasted that this was the biggest ral...