KATHMANDU: Former President Bidya Devi Bhandari will not be allowed to participate as a representative in the CPN-UML’s upcoming statute convention.
The party’s Secretariat meeting on Thursday passed a proposal restricting representative status only to those who were delegates at the 10th statute convention, barring Bhandari’s entry into the event.
Following the meeting, UML Deputy General Secretary Pradeep Gyawali clarified that only individuals who were part of the 10th statute convention would serve as official representatives.
“Those who joined the Central Committee or central bodies later will attend as organizers, not as representatives,” said Gyawali. He added that this provision aligns with the party’s statute, which clearly defines representation criteria for the Statute Convention.
The decision appears to be a deliberate move to block Bhandari, who recently rejoined the UML by renewing her party membership, from exerting influence in the convention.
Bhandari had served as the party’s vice-chair before her presidency and was a prominent figure in the 10th statute convention.
The Secretariat meeting, which lasted over 10 hours, also approved key proposals to amend the party statute. Notably, it has proposed removing the current 19-member office bearer structure, reducing it to 15 members, and setting the number of standing committee members at 25.
Additionally, the party plans to eliminate the 70-year age limit and the two-term cap for office bearers, paving the way for more flexible leadership eligibility.
Further structural changes include fixing the number of Central Committee members at 251, with one-third to serve as Politburo members. Gyawali emphasized that the legislative convention will not allow new representatives, but some individuals may be invited to attend as organizers.
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