Bhandari to announce her active political comeback

The event organized by the Madan Bhandari Foundation on Saturday at the Rastriya Sabha Griha in Kathmandu, to mark Madan Smriti Diwas, has become a moment of significant anticipation within the internal life of the CPN-UML party.

Despite the strong influence and central authority of UML Chairperson and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli within the party, former President Bidya Devi Bhandari is preparing to return to active politics — a move that reportedly goes against Oli’s wishes.

UML leaders close to Bhandari have said that she plans to announce her return to active politics during Saturday’s event.

Bidya Devi Bhandari, the widow of late UML leader Madan Bhandari, was known for many years as a close ally of KP Oli. With his support, she served two terms as President of Nepal.

According to leaders close to her, Bhandari intends to declare her re-entry into politics on the occasion of her late husband Madan Bhandari’s 74th birth anniversary.

“She is preparing to publicly announce her return to active politics tomorrow,” said UML Standing Committee member Karn Bahadur Thapa to Setopati. “She has already met with the party chairman and requested his support. She will say the same publicly tomorrow.”

Thapa, who has remained close to Bhandari in recent times, said there are no constitutional, legal, or party statute-based barriers preventing her return to active politics.

“There are rumors that preparations are underway to block her return. That could spark debate. But she is going to speak tomorrow,” Thapa added.

Meanwhile, UML General Secretary Shankar Pokhrel himself has proposed introducing restrictive provisions in the party’s statute to prevent former presidents from becoming party members again.

During the 53rd Secretariat meeting of the UML held on Wednesday, Pokhrel raised concerns that allowing a former president to re-enter party politics could further damage the image of the republic, which is already under various forms of attack. He suggested this issue be addressed in the party statute.

However, no one supported his proposal during the meeting, so the matter was set aside.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is also scheduled to attend Saturday’s event. He is preparing to leave for Spain the same day and is expected to deliver a brief address before departing, according to UML leaders.