UML roadmap for 2027 elections

The ruling CPN-UML, which has decided to contest the next election independently, has unveiled a roadmap aimed at solidifying its position as a dominant political force. Following the 2022 national elections, where the party emerged as the second-largest political force, it launched the “Mission 2084” campaign, focused on strengthening the party for the next national elections that will take place in 2027. Even after returning to power in July, the party has maintained its focus on internal organization and strategic planning.

Senior UML leaders identify two primary challenges ahead: the potential alliance between the Nepali Congress (NC) and the CPN (Maoist Center) and the rise of new political parties and independent leaders. Additionally, they note that youth, once a core constituency, are increasingly shifting their support to emerging political forces. In response, the UML leadership has directed all party committees to develop policies and programs aligned with Mission 2084, with a particular emphasis on reactivating all party structures to attract younger voters. As part of this initiative, the party has decided to organize a youth summit to introduce its policies and programs to the next generation.

The UML is also pursuing a strategy to attract cadres and leaders from the CPN (Unified Socialist) and the Maoist Center, while deprioritizing unification with smaller communist parties. The party’s emphasis is on strengthening its ranks by drawing in members from rival groups rather than forming alliances. To mobilize youth effectively, UML will utilize its party structures and organize more initiatives like the youth summit to re-engage the younger demographic. Like other parties, the UML faces internal disputes in several districts, and to address this, it has formed a special panel to resolve conflicts and minimize divisions within the party. During the 2022 elections, internal disputes contributed to losses in several constituencies—a situation the party is determined to avoid in the upcoming elections.

Since becoming party chairperson in 2014, KP Sharma Oli has largely succeeded in preventing the rise of powerful factions within the UML. His key rival, Madhav Kumar Nepal, left the party in 2021 to form a separate group, and Bhim Rawal, who was once a vocal critic of the party’s leadership and contested for the post of party chairperson, has now been stripped of major responsibilities within the UML. Despite these internal challenges, the UML remains committed to improving government and parliamentary performance. Two months into the Oli-led government, however, criticism has already surfaced regarding its effectiveness. To counter this, the party has decided to leverage social media more actively, recognizing that younger parties are capitalizing on its growing influence, while the UML still relies heavily on traditional publicity methods.

Under an agreement with the Nepali Congress (NC), Prime Minister Oli is set to hand over leadership to NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba. Once the transition occurs, UML leaders plan to fully concentrate on the 2027 elections. According to them, the NC and UML have agreed not to form an electoral alliance with the Maoist Center, although concerns remain that the NC could align with the Maoists ahead of the polls. UML leaders are confident, however, that if the three major parties—NC, UML, and the Maoist Center—compete separately, UML is poised to emerge as the largest party, owing to its robust organizational structure.

Speaking at a recent public event, Oli expressed optimism that the UML could secure a majority in the 2027 elections, noting that the Maoist Center has been steadily losing voter support and may struggle to maintain its status as a national party. The key competition, he said, is between the NC and UML, with all three communist factions—UML, CPN (Unified Socialist), and the Maoist Center—sharing a similar voter base.

Moreover, the rise of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) in the 2022 elections has posed a significant threat to both the UML and NC. Many voters from both parties supported RSP candidates as a protest against their respective leaderships. This trend is a growing concern for the established parties, as they seek to curb the rise of new political forces like the RSP and independent figures such as Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah, who have captured the youth vote. The emergence of new political parties signals a gradual decline in support for traditional parties, even though they remain the largest in terms of overall representation. Now, all political parties are working to revamp their organizations, with the 2027 elections in sight.