A high-ranking FUNCINPEC official on Tuesday denies the rumor about the attempt to depose Prince Norodom Ranariddh.
FUNCINPEC secretary general Nhek Bun Chhay says that the rumor is created to divide the party. On Monday, a number of Funcinpec members who spoke on conditions of anonymity, claimed that a movement, led by Nhek Bun Chhay seek to remove the Prince.
Those officials say Mr. Nhek Bun Chhay led a secret meeting with some 20 communal and provincial Funcinpec party members at the Funcinpec's headquarters in Phnom Penh. They claimed those attended the meeting had decided to make a written motion to get the members' vote to remove Prince Ranariddh from his position as the president of the party.
Nhek Bun Chhay dismisses these charges saying there was no meeting, and no movement to remove the Prince.
Prince Ranariddh's adviser, Mr. Ok Socheat also denies these charges.
Government spokesman, Mr. Khieu Kanharith says that whatever FUNCINPEC does is its party internal affair. However he says that he prefers to see the party solves their problems peacefully without having to topple its president.