Nepal's ex-president Bidya Devi Bhandari returns to active politics, rejoins CPN-UML
Nepal's former President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Saturday (June 28, 2025) announced that she has rejoined active politics by renewing her membership of the ruling CPN-UML, nearly a decade after she left the party to assume the country's top constitutional post.
Ms. Bhandari, 62, made the announcement while addressing a programme organised in Kathmandu by the Madan Bhandari Foundation to mark the 74th birth anniversary of her late husband and former Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) General Secretary Madan Bhandari.
'I have renewed my membership of CPN-UML with an objective of giving continuity to the party's political journey,' Ms. Bhandari said at the function, which was also attended by Prime Minister K. P. Oli.
Mr. Oli is also the incumbent chairman of CPN-UML.
'Now, I am reunited with the CPN-UML as a member of this family, and I feel proud of this,' Ms. Bhandari said.
The former President's return to active politics comes amid growing speculation about her future role within the CPN-UML. Over the past few months, she has been holding interactions with party leaders and cadres across the country, fuelling rumours that she may be eyeing a larger role in party leadership.
Political experts opine that Ms. Bhandari's decision to rejoin CPN-UML might pose a threat to Mr. Oli, who is enjoying "a kind of monopoly" in the ruling party.
Quoting party insiders, The Kathmandu Post newspaper reported that Ms. Bhandari could challenge Mr. Oli in CPN-UML's next general convention. Mr. Oli, who has led the party since 2014, is said to be seeking a third term as chief.
Speaking at the same event, Prime Minister Oli asserted that CPN-UML was united and warned against attempts to divide it.
Without naming anyone, he said, 'Do not dream of splitting the UML.'
Mr. Oli also urged party members to focus on the next general elections, scheduled to be held in 2027-28.
Adding to the political significance of her move, Ms. Bhandari recently undertook a 10-day visit to China from May 24, during which she held meetings with high-ranking officials.
The visit drew attention in Nepal, with observers interpreting it as an effort to boost her political clout.
Ms. Bhandari's re-entry into party politics has sparked debate in Nepal's political circles.
It is not common for a former President to return to party politics, although there may be no legal restriction, senior journalist and political analyst Dhurva Hari Adhikary said.
It may raise moral questions, even if it remains a personal decision, he added.
Ms. Bhandari served as Nepal's President for two consecutive terms between 2015 and 2023. She had relinquished her party membership after being elected to the largely ceremonial post in October 2015, becoming the country's first woman Head of State.
Before her elevation to the presidency, Ms. Bhandari was a senior CPN-UML leader and had served as the party's vice-chairperson. She was also the Defence Minister in the Madhav Kumar Nepal-led government in 2009.
Ms. Bhandari is the widow of Madan Bhandari, a popular Marxist leader who died in a controversial jeep accident in 1993. The incident was widely seen as suspicious, and investigations at the time failed to conclusively establish the cause of the crash.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Draft bill for T'gana gig workers' social security published
The Congress-led Telangana government has published a draft bill to provide social security and regulate the working conditions for gig workers—one of the political priorities for the party. The draft bill, named The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers (Registration, Social Security and Welfare) Bill, 2025, proposes a 'Gig and Platform Workers Social Security and Welfare Fund', which will be financed by the government and the aggregators. Draft bill for T'gana gig workers' social security published The bill stipulates that an aggregator may terminate a gig worker only by giving valid reasons in writing and with prior notice of seven days. It says every aggregator or platform shall mandatorily make pay-out with no delay and must provide and maintain a working environment that is safe and without risk to the health of the platform-based gig worker. The bill comes weeks after Lok Sabha's Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, described the condition of gig workers, who work without any social benefits, as 'modern day slavery' during a debate in Parliament. In 2023, Rajasthan's Ashok Gehlot government became the first administration to enact a law to provide social safety to gig workers. The Telangana bill says 'The State Government shall… constitute a Board to be known as the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Welfare Board.' This board 'shall, as and when necessary, notify general or sector specific social security and other benefits which shall be implemented by the Board as notified by the State Government.' Congress leader Jairam Ramesh tweeted that after Rajasthan and Karnataka, Telangana is the third state where legislation are being made on this issue. 'It is only Congress governments that have ensured justice and better working conditions for lakhs of gig workers. Workers' justice has been a crucial part of the Congress Party's and Rahul Gandhi ji's central vision - this bill is proof of that commitment.' During the 17th Lok Sabha, the standing committee on labour—then led by BJD (now BJP) lawmaker Bhartruhari Mahtab—had proposed a unique identity for all unorganized workers. The panel felt that the unorganised sector-which constitutes more than 90% of India's workforce—needs a unique ID to access targeted benefits. The bill says, 'An aggregator or platform may terminate a gig or a platform worker by following the principles of natural justice after due enquiry only by giving valid reason/s in writing and with prior notice of seven (07) days. However, in case a threat (physical or mental) is foreseen to the end consumer, the gig worker may be terminated immediately.' It added that 'Every aggregator / platform shall mandatorily make pay-out as per the contract with no delay in disbursal of pay. Reasonable working conditions. The aggregator must provide and maintain, as far as is reasonably practicable, a working environment that is safe and without risk to the health of the platform-based Gig worker.' Based in Hyderabad, the board will be headed by the state's labour minister, a representative of the Union labour ministry, top-ranking state officials, four representatives each from gig workers and aggregators and two civil society members. The board will ensure registration of Gig and Platform workers, registration of aggregators or platforms, 'Set up a monitoring mechanism to certify that welfare fund fee is being duly collected' and 'Ensure implementation of general and specific social security schemes based on contributions made, as may be notified by the State Government and disburse the social security benefits to the Gig and Platform workers.' Under the proposed law, a Gig and Platform worker shall have the right to register with the government 'on being onboarded on any platform, irrespective of the duration of the work.' The workers will be provided a 'Unique ID applicable across all platforms, have access to general and specific social security schemes based on contributions made by them subject to minimum number of transactions/gig 12 work undertaken by the gig and platform worker with any aggregator or platforms in a quarter.'
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Uddhav, Raj confirm joint victory rally on July 5
Mumbai: A day after the BJP-led Mahayuti government scrapped two government resolutions (GR) to introduce Hindi as the third language in schools from class 1, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Monday confirmed that a joint victory rally would be held on July 5. Addressing the media separately during the day, the Thackeray cousins reiterated their opposition to the three-language formula under the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, and said they would continue to oppose it irrespective of the recommendations of the committee headed by Narendra Jadhav. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers celebrate after the Maharashtra State Government revoked the three-language policy (PTI) The committee has been constituted by the state government to recommend ways to proceed with the three-language formula. It has been asked to submit its report within three months. Sources in Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS said the joint victory rally could be held either at a large ground like Shivaji Park or involve a march culminating in a public meeting in front of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters in Fort. The Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS had earlier planned to hold a joint protest rally on July 5 against the imposition of Hindi on school students. But after the Devendra Fadnavis-led government scrapped the two GRs on Sunday, Uddhav Thackeray said the protest rally would be converted into a victory rally and urged the MNS and other pro-Marathi parties and civil society organisations to join the programme. On Monday morning, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut told reporters that he had spoken to Raj Thackeray about the plan to hold a victory rally on July 5. 'Now, Raj Thackeray will announce his decision,' Raut said. Around two hours later, Raj Thackeray addressed a press conference and confirmed that he would hold a joint rally with his estranged cousin on July 5. 'If the joint protest march had happened, it would have created an atmosphere like the Samyukta Maharashtra (statehood) movement,' Raj Thackeray said, comparing the widespread protests against the Mahayuti government's bid to make Hindi a compulsory third language in primary schools with the movement for a linguistic state in the 1950s that led to the creation of Maharashtra on May 1, 1960. Thackeray said Sanjay Raut called him after the government scrapped the GRs and proposed to hold a victory rally on the same date to celebrate the unity of the Marathi manoos. 'There will be a joint rally now on July 5. We will finalise the venue and timing after discussions,' he said. He thanked the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP (SP) for supporting him in stalling the imposition of Hindi on school students and said his opposition to Hindi as a compulsory third language would continue irrespective of the report submitted by the Narendra Jadhav committee. Uddhav Thackeray too mocked the government's decision to appoint a committee under Narendra Jadhav, saying he was an economist and not an educationist. 'I respect Narendra Jadhav but it's strange that the BJP government has appointed a committee under an economist on the issue related to education policy,' Uddhav told reporters in the premises of the state legislature in the afternoon. 'Let me be clear that we will not allow the introduction of a compulsory third language irrespective of reports submitted by any committee to the state government.' Uddhav Thackeray also stressed on the need for the Marathi manoos to stay united and said the joint victory rally on July 5 would be a show of strength. 'The government cancelled the orders to break the unity of the Marathi manoos. But we should stay united and participate in the July 5 victory rally,' he said, urging Marathi speakers to stay vigilant about conspiracies against them.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
That's ‘N'-tertainment
Rupa Sengupta is consulting editor with the edit page of Times of India. …when 'F'-bombers can't get peace at any prize A Nobel gesture: Pak's army chief recently backed Trump as peace prize candidate, for supposedly preventing Indo-Pak 'nuclear war'. Little did he know the Dove would strike Iran (which doesn't – yet – have nukes) to assist Israel (which doesn't admit it does). Post-strike, Putin's pal Medvedev denied (Toma)hawk Trump deserved even a 'rigged' Nobel. Little did he know Trump would detonate an 'F'-plosive, forcing Israel-Iran's ceasefire. During Israel-Iran's 12-day conflict, Moscow fanned nuclear fallout fears. Presumably West Asia won't be geopolitically radioactive if some – Russia-led? – countries readily 'supply' Iran with 'warheads', as Medvedev explosively claimed. What about global alarm when Russia endangers Ukraine's nuclear power plants or threatens nuclear strikes? Well, Ukraine's paying for trusting post-Soviet and pre-(and-post-)Trump security guarantors more than the nukes it renounced, see? Medvedev's 'N-word' provoked a seeming WT'F'#@!! from Trump, who'd just prevented future WWIII by bunker-busting Iran's go-nuclear plans. Never mind that, apparently vexed by Ukraine and Gaza, Trump's likened armed conflict – which invariably involves nuclear bluster – to 'hockey' matches. Only, if you can't referee them, (midnight) hammer them. Netanyahu normalising wargames meantime, China could now shoot for Taiwan, South China Sea, disputed borders, even world domination. And Kim Jong-un could target the Korean peninsula and beyond, daring regime changers by trial-running his war toys. Ranging from Seoul-shattering Shahed-series kamikaze drones – their blueprints reportedly sent from Russia, with love – to Hwasong missiles that could reach Mar-a-Lago. BTW, did Kim's military parades inspire Trump's recent $45mn extravagant-za? And didn't Trump praise US's 'lethal' 'N'-subs while bashing Medvedev's 'casual' 'N'-talk? Answer: Trump and other Bibi-sitters uphold 'peace through strength'. Practised as might-is-right, nuclear-haves bully nuclear have-nots. Which makes would-be dual-users desperate to sneak into Nukesville. Unlike Trump-wooed Saudi Arabia which openly says it'll nuclearise if Iran does – and experts say stealth-bombed Iran now stealthily will. There's no peace prize for guessing why one YUGE peacetime perk is war's windfalls. SIPRI's Yearbook 2025 says global military spending surpassed $2.7tn in 2024. Arms revenues of 100 biggest weapons-making and military services firms hit $632bn in 2023. And – manna for ICBM-lobbyists – another nuclear arms race looms. That too, when no 'great power' seems (even hopelessly) devoted to 'D' for disarmament, a stronger 'N'-deterrent than the 'F'-bomb. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
