The 10th central committee meeting of the CPN-UML that kicked off in the capital on Wednesday discussed the formation of a joint political front of the agitating parties and professional organisations to give an outlet to the present political crisis.

The meeting is also expected to discuss future programmes of the joint movement which would be proposed in a meeting of the seven-party alliance for its endorsement.

Party general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal could not attend the meeting as he is under house arrest for the past one month and the government on Monday extended Nepal’s house arrest by two more months.

Acting general secretary of the party, Amrit Kumar Bohara, presented a working paper on Wednesday’s meeting.

Talking to journalists, standing committee member Pradip Nepal informed that the party would propose to form a broader front of seven agitating parties and other professional bodies to give momentum to the ongoing movement.

Most of the party leaders who expressed their views on Wednesday’s meeting approved the need of such a front.

Two standing committee members Jhala Nath Khanal and Bamdev Gautam, however, remained absent from the meeting for “security reasons”. The CPN-UML also accused the government of sending plainclothes policemen outside the party office, Balkhu, where the meeting is taking place.