Kathmandu, Aug 3: The CPN-UML has intensified disciplinary measures against party members aligning themselves with former President Bidya Devi Bhandari, who is increasingly seen as a rallying figure for dissent within the party.

In the latest move, the UML-affiliated Nepal Sports Federation has decided to seek clarifications from three leaders—Standing Committee member and central committee member Haribansha Kadariya, and central members Kamalmani Gautam and Hari Bartuala—for publicly siding with Bhandari and making statements critical of the party leadership.

According to the Federation, the trio has been accused of posting "anarchic expressions" on social media that undermine party unity. The Federation has directed its disciplinary commission to investigate the matter and initiate action as necessary. It also reaffirmed its loyalty to UML chair KP Sharma Oli, declaring that "a UML without KP Oli is unimaginable."

This move marks yet another wave of internal tightening as the UML grapples with a slow-simmering undercurrent of discontent—much of it quietly gravitating toward Bhandari, who completed her presidential term in 2023.

Once a trusted comrade and a staunch Oli loyalist, Bhandari has since maintained a conspicuous public presence, frequently attending ideological and cultural events where indirect criticism of the current UML leadership has surfaced. Though she has not formally returned to active politics, her growing political visibility—and the loyalty she commands among some UML leaders and cadres—has stirred speculation about a potential new political alignment.

In recent months, the party has issued clarifications and even taken punitive action against several leaders from its youth and sister organizations for expressing open support for Bhandari. Her outreach and the resulting factional tilt have forced the UML leadership to draw a firm line, signaling zero tolerance for internal dissent.

The disciplinary push appears aimed at sending a strong message to those entertaining alternative power centers within the party, particularly as Nepal inches toward the next political cycle and the leftist landscape shows signs of potential realignment.