Pokhara, 19 October | The plan to register a ‘Note of Dissent’ regarding the non-renewal of former President Bidhya Devi Bhandari’s party membership has been postponed following the conclusion of the CPN-UML Central Committee meeting on Friday. Leaders close to Bhandari stated that the preparation to unanimously oppose the decision was halted due to the remarks made by party Chairman KP Sharma Oli during his concluding speech. Previously, Senior Vice-Chairman Ishwor Pokharel had announced in the meeting that he would file a dissent if Bhandari’s membership was not renewed, while Vice-Chairmen Yubaraj Gyawali and Surendra Pandey had already registered their dissenting opinions at the central office. Standing Committee member Karna Thapa also held a dissenting view.
The preparation for a large number of Central Committee members to register a dissent was stopped after Oli provided a lengthy explanation about Bhandari, signaling that the membership issue could be taken to a process. According to meeting attendees, Oli recounted instances where he had personally supported the former President, from her medical treatment to her recommendation for the presidency, and mentioned that he had asked her to avoid being in a controversial situation. A top leader explained that Oli’s three main messages regarding Bhandari’s membership were: first, the matter should not have been publicized; second, she should have played a supportive role in the party rather than aiming for the chairmanship; and third, if membership is essential, a request/application must be submitted for the process to move forward.
Oli’s statement that the process would proceed once an application is received was interpreted by leaders as a sign that the membership would be renewed. Leaders close to Bhandari clarified that the application would be for renewal, not a new membership, a point they believe Oli also understands. Oli further informed the meeting that he would speak to Bhandari personally, urging her not to return to active politics, but if she insisted, the process would be initiated. It is based on this indication—that a decision would be made once a renewal application is submitted—that the ‘Note of Dissent’ process was shelved.
However, some CPN-UML leaders remain skeptical, viewing Oli’s remarks as a tactic to engage leaders and prevent a large number of dissenting voices that could further compound internal complexity. The number of leaders who openly supported Bhandari’s membership renewal steadily increased over the three-day meeting, with 60 to 70 leaders eventually taking a strong stance in her favour by the third day. This marked the first instance where such a large number of Central Committee members voiced disagreement with Oli’s decision, particularly after the recent ‘Gen Z’ protest, with some even calling for him to step down from the chairmanship.
