Nepal’s ruling CPN-UML has firmly rejected former President Bidya Devi Bhandari’s attempt to re-enter active politics, citing that it is inappropriate for a former head of state to assume a partisan role. The decision was made during a Central Committee meeting, which also approved a statute amendment eliminating the 70-year age limit and two-term cap for party leadership.

This amendment allows 74-year-old Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli, currently in his second term, to contest for a third term as party leader, strengthening his control. Bhandari’s return was perceived as a potential challenge to Oli’s leadership, intensifying internal party dynamics.

Party General Secretary Shanker Pokharel announced that Bhandari’s general membership has been deemed “ineffective,” effectively barring her from party politics. Bhandari, who retired as president on March 12, 2023, had recently expressed her desire to rejoin the CPN-UML, leveraging her stature as a senior leader and widow of party icon Madan Bhandari.

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The move highlights ongoing debates about the role of former presidents in Nepal’s competitive political arena and underscores Oli’s strategic maneuvering to maintain dominance within the party.

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