The ruling CPN has made Jhala Nath Khanal the third ranked leader in the party.
The secretariat meeting held at the prime minister's official residence in Baluwatar Sunday evening has made Khanal the top-ranked senior leader ahead of another senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal, according to CPN Spokesperson Narayan Kaji Shrestha.
Nepal was ranked higher than Khanal in the previous hierarchy behind the two chairmen KP Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal.