KATHMANDU: CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli has indicated that he is not prepared to relinquish the party leadership anytime soon, despite mounting pressure from within the party and an intensifying debate over leadership transition.
Addressing the inauguration of a membership renewal, expansion and motivation workshop in Kathmandu on Wednesday, Oli reiterated that he would not step down simply because some leaders wanted him to do so. He said he would only consider retirement after restoring the party to its former strength and guiding it through current challenges.
“There are some leaders who believe the party will improve if someone’s head is placed on the table,” Oli said. “The idea that party unity can be achieved merely by removing a leader is not in the party’s interest.”
The UML chairman stressed the need for broad unity within the party and argued that such unity was possible under his leadership. Referring to the party’s adherence to the ideology of People’s Multiparty Democracy over the past 36 years, he urged leaders and cadres to remain committed to the principle.
Oli also made clear that he would not leave the party leadership during difficult times.
“I did not become chairman to enjoy power in comfortable circumstances and abandon responsibility when challenges arise,” he said. “I will confront difficult situations, lead the party toward success, and then retire through a proper and institutional process. I will not walk away midway.”
His remarks come at a time when discussions over leadership succession have intensified within UML following recent political setbacks and shifting internal power dynamics.
Meanwhile, UML Deputy General Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai appeared to take a subtle swipe at Oli through a social media post shortly after the event.
Recalling a story shared by a senior leader during UML’s seventh national convention in Janakpur, Bhattarai narrated a folk tale about an elderly man standing inside a bus, repeatedly pulling a handrail from side to side whenever the vehicle tilted. After the bus safely reached its destination, the man reportedly claimed that all passengers had survived only because he had prevented the bus from overturning.
Bhattarai wrote that Oli’s speech had reminded him of the story, a remark widely interpreted as criticism of the notion that a single leader alone is responsible for holding the party together.
Oli, who has recently become more active in party affairs after a period of relative inactivity attributed to health concerns and political setbacks, also announced plans to intensify meetings with party leaders and cadres in the coming days.
During the same event, he launched a fresh attack on Prime Minister Balen Shah, criticizing his recent remarks on Nepal’s border issues and insisting that Nepal has not encroached upon any neighboring country’s territory.
With debate over leadership transition continuing to deepen and internal alignments within UML evolving, Oli’s latest stance is expected to fuel further discussion over the party’s future leadership and direction.
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