Kathmandu, Aug. 1 -- The dissident faction of the Nepali Congress (NC) has appointed former general secretary Shashank Koirala as the coordinator of the main organising committee for its national gathering scheduled for August 14.

Sources close to the faction said that if efforts to restore party unity fail before the gathering, preparations are in place to register a new political party under the leadership of Koirala, the son of the late NC founder BP Koirala.

At a press conference held at the faction's contact office in Chundevi on Saturday, the dissident group announced the formation of a 521-member main organising committee headed by Koirala.

The faction has also formed 16 sub-committees, including those responsible for political ...