KATHMANDU: Former President Bidya Devi Bhandari has made it clear she will not back down from her decision to return to politics, despite the CPN-UML’s recent move to block her reentry into the party.
According to sources close to Bhandari, she anticipated UML Chair KP Sharma Oli’s attempt to sideline her and remains resolute in her decision.
“She had already made up her mind to rejoin active politics after leaving Sheetal Niwas in March 2023,” a leader familiar with Bhandari’s plans told this publication. “Tuesday’s decision hasn’t come as a surprise and it won’t change her course.”
The UML’s Central Committee meeting on Tuesday night formally decided to prevent Bhandari from rejoining the party, citing her previous role as head of state and the symbolic nature of the presidency in Nepal’s republican setup.
The meeting also chose to withhold her party membership renewal, a technical move seen by many as an attempt by Oli to block her from contesting in the upcoming 11th General Convention.
However, those within Bhandari’s camp say she sees the decision as politically motivated. “She believes Oli’s move is not about constitutional principles, but about controlling competition,” said a senior UML figure close to her. “She has no intention of retreating.”
Bhandari had publicly hinted at her political comeback during a program at the Madan Bhandari Foundation on June 28, where she declared her return to active politics. Since then, she has reportedly been in quiet consultation with loyalists and allies inside the party, preparing for a more organized push in the run-up to the UML’s statute convention in early September.
While her secretariat has yet to issue an official statement on the party’s decision, insiders say Bhandari is adopting a “wait and watch” approach for now, opting to build momentum strategically rather than react impulsively.
“She is weighing her next move, but one thing is certain: she won’t bow out,” said one leader who met her after the Central Committee meeting.
The internal tensions come at a time when Oli is increasingly being criticized for centralizing power within the party and suppressing dissent. The decision to block Bhandari, a former UML vice-chair and long-time ally, has sparked debate within the party’s ranks and is expected to deepen the ideological and generational rifts ahead of key organizational events.
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