On Friday (19 January), members of the Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party (MPRP) held a press conference and announced that MP O.Baasankhuu has been ousted from the party. The announcement coincided with the refusal by the High Court of Mongolia to register MP O.Baasankhuu as a leader of the MPRP.

As a result of this decision, the MPRP have lost their only seat in the State Great Khural (parliament). MP O.Baasankhuu was accused of illegally organising a party conference and announcing himself as party leader.

The two fractions MPRP held separate congresses in December. The fraction led by O.Baasankhuu held a congress at State House; the other fraction led by the long-standing MPRP leader and former Mongolian president N.Enkhbayar, met at the National Circus. During the first congress on the Saturday, the members voted to replace N.Enkhbayar and elected O.Baasankhuu as new leader of the party. However, the next day, the other fraction declared that O.Baasankhuu is not the true leader.

The next MPRP conference will be held on 9-10 February.