UML Divided: Former President Bhandari Barred from Politics as Oli Consolidates Power
23rd July 2025, Kathmandu
A significant internal rift has emerged within the CPN-UML following its ninth Central Committee meeting’s decision to prohibit former President Bidya Devi Bhandari from re-entering active politics or renewing her party membership.
UML Divided Former President Bhandari
Senior party leaders, including Surendra Pandey, Yubraj Gyawali, and Karna Thapa, have openly expressed their disagreement, highlighting a growing schism within the ruling party.
Rajendra Gautam, Head of UML’s Publicity and Publication Department, clarified the party’s stance, stating that allowing someone who held the esteemed constitutional role of President—the nation’s guardian—to return to partisan politics would undermine institutional dignity.
“Bringing a person who has served in the highest national office back to party-level political work could be seen as disrespectful toward her past role,” Gautam emphasized. This decision comes after former President Bhandari publicly expressed her desire to rejoin active party politics.
Oli’s Power Consolidation and Statute Amendments
Adding another layer to the internal dynamics, the Central Committee meeting also significantly consolidated power around current party Chairman KP Sharma Oli. The party indicated that Oli would continue in his leadership role beyond the upcoming party convention, notably by deciding to remove the 70-year age cap and the two-term limit for the party chairmanship.
These proposed amendments, once approved in the Statute Convention slated for Bhadra (August/September), will legally pave the way for Oli’s continued tenure.
Despite concerns that these amendments might stifle other qualified leaders, Gautam assured that any eligible leader would still be able to contest for the chairmanship. However, the prevailing sentiment among most leaders at the Secretariat, Politburo, and Central Committee meetings was that Oli’s leadership is indispensable for achieving “Mission 2084” – presumably a long-term electoral or political goal.
National Significance and Respect for the Presidency
Regarding former President Bhandari, Gautam stressed that the UML’s decision aims to prevent future questions about political impartiality. “Someone who held such an honorable position should not carry a party flag again,” he asserted, adding that this is a matter of broader national significance for all political parties, not just an internal UML affair.
Gautam reiterated the party’s undiminished respect for Bidya Devi Bhandari, clarifying that the decision should not be misconstrued as disrespect. Chairman Oli himself reportedly referred to her as “Honorable Former President Bidya Bhandari,” emphasizing her elevated status.
This internal debate within the UML underscores the delicate balance between party politics and the sanctity of high constitutional offices in Nepal’s evolving democratic landscape.
For more: UML Divided Former President Bhandari
