Lalitpur [Nepal], October 8 : Former Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari has returned to active politics by assuming the position of senior leader in the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist (CPN-UML), nearly three years after completing her second term as President.
Bhandari took the oath as a senior leader at the CPN-UML party office in Lalitpur on Thursday and subsequently participated in the party's Standing Committee meeting.
Nepal's first woman President had stepped away from active party politics after being elected to the country's highest constitutional office in October 2015. At the time, she was serving as the Vice-President of the CPN-UML.
Bhandari served as President for two consecutive terms, remaining in office until March 9, 2023. After completing her presidential tenure, she sought to return to UML politics, but the party had cancelled her membership, maintaining that it was inappropriate for someone who had served as President to return to active party politics.
The UML Central Committee's ninth meeting held last year had stated that former presidents should not be members of political parties. The subsequent internal party directive, or 'Apani', also stated that the CPN-UML should not make someone who had served as the leader of the entire nation a cadre.
“Respected former President Bidya Devi Bhandari should live honoured as a pride of the nation. She should not come into active politics. CPN (UML) should not make a person who has been a leader of the entire nation a cadre,” the internal party directive stated.
It further said, “Former President, live with dignity as the pride of the nation's republic. She is the jewel of the nation. She is also our jewel. The process of renewing her membership was not correct, it will not be ratified. It will be according to Article 8 of the statute.”
However, about 14 months after the UML took that position, the party's Central Committee meeting in the first week of September this year overturned the previous decision and appointed Bhandari as a senior leader.
Following the Central Committee meeting in mid-September, UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli issued Inter-Party Directive-3 (Apani), formally incorporating Bhandari's appointment and responsibilities.
“The meeting has stated that Comrade Bidya Devi Bhandari, who has been active in politics after rejoining the party membership after retiring from the responsibility of President, has been nominated as a senior leader in accordance with Article-105 of the statute, which grants the authority to remove obstacles, and Article 13 (a), which allows the highest body of the party to make decisions responsible to the National Convention between two conventions, using the authority to make decisions, and in accordance with Article 12 (b) and Article 18 of the statute.”
Bhandari's position within the party has also been determined, with her ranked second after Chairman KP Sharma Oli.
Her return comes as debate over restructuring within the CPN-UML has intensified following the party's defeat in elections held in March. The development has temporarily put the restructuring debate on hold, while UML members expect Bhandari's return to strengthen the party politically.
Party leaders also believe her return could alter the internal power equation within the UML, where Oli has maintained dominance for a long period.
Bhandari began her political career in 1978 by organising within the youth league of CPN-Male. In 1980, she became treasurer of the student union at Mahendra Morang Multiple Campus in Biratnagar.
She married Madan Bhandari, then a central member of the CPN-Male, in 1982.
Following Madan Bhandari's death in a jeep accident in 1993, Bidya Bhandari entered parliamentary politics the same year. She won a Kathmandu by-election by defeating then-Congress President Krishna Prasad Bhattarai.