By Our Reporter

Former UML leader and presently Unified Socialist Party general secretary Ghanashyam Bhushal recently exposed the key characters of CPN-UML chair and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. After the UML expelled Bhim Rawal from the party, Bhusal said that Oli liked only sycophants and slaves in the party.

According to Bhusal, Rawal was expelled because he dared to challenge Oli in the party's general convention. Rawal had contested the election for party chair in the Chitwan convention of the party. Bhusal also contested for the post of vice chair defying the decree of Oli. As a result, both were denied the election ticket in 2022 general elections and Bhusal revolted by contesting the poll as an independent candidate and lost it.  Later, he joined the CPN (Unified Socialist).  But Rawal remained in Oli raising voices against Oli's dictatorial decisions in the party. When the former vice president of the party strongly opposed the decision to accept the land donated by Min Bahadur Gurung to build the party office, he was expelled from party membership. 

 After Rawal expulsion, Bhusal said that after the rise of KP Oli, the tradition of hatred, slander, abuse and censure developed in Nepali politics.

Addressing a gathering of students affiliated with the CPN (Unified Socialist) in Kathmandu on Friday last week, Bhusal, “After the rise of Comrade Oli, the culture of hatred, condemnation, and abuse became a tradition in the politics of Nepal."

The UML Secretariat decided to strip Rawal of his organisational membership, accusing him of issuing statements that weakened the party.

Is Bidya Bhandari again returning to active politics?

By Our Reporters

Rumours have it that former President Bidya Devi Bhandari is soon returning to active politics.  Many popular leaders of the UML seem encouraged by the news because they think Bhandari's entry into active politics could help tame party chair KP Oli's dictatorial activities. It is said that Bhandari is the only leader in UML to control Oli because the latter fears her. If Bhandari returns to active politics, she may have the upper hand in decision-making and selecting or electing party office-bearers. It is also said some of the leaders who were previously close to Oli, are now with Bhandari. Gokul Baskota is one of them. He recently challenged party chair Oli by forming a parallel committee of the students affiliated with his party in Kavre.

The UML leaders worried by the deteriorating popularity of the party want someone who can maintain unity in the party, and for them, the former president is the only alternative. Many leaders are not happy with the way party chair Oli acts, but they cannot oppose his decision because he can punish them. The recent expulsion of Bhim Rawal and the suspension of two others are testimony to this. Even the leaders who were with Madahv Kumar Nepal in the past are not getting any important responsibilities in the party because of Oli's nature of not tolerating his critics. As such, Bhandari's entry will be welcomed by many UML leaders and workers. However, it was not that easy for Bhandari to return to active politics as she had already served as President. As party chair, she cannot contest the election to the House of Representatives, neither can she lead the parliamentary party in a normal situation. What she could do is act as a guardian of the party.