The long-standing comradely relationship between KP Sharma Oli and Bidya Devi Bhandari has soured. Soon after Bhandari openly challenged her removal from the post of party chair, the Central Committee of CPN-UML officially decided to bar the former head of state from active party politics.
Although UML leaders have defended the midnight decision, claiming it was made to uphold the sanctity of the presidential office, many within the party and the general public remain unconvinced. While it’s still unclear how this episode will unfold, Bhandari has signaled her intent to stay active in party politics. However, by denying her even an ordinary party membership, the UML has created a barrier for her to engage directly with party leaders and cadres.
Previously, there were assumptions that a fair number of party leaders and cadres might support Bhandari, but the Central Committee meeting told a different story. Only a handful of leaders stood by her, while the overwhelming majority sided with Oli, which is likely due to his current status as Prime Minister. Just two leaders, Surendra Pandey and Yubaraj Gyawali, opposed the party’s decision to bar Bhandari from political involvement.
Bhandari’s limited support within the party’s Central Committee poses a serious challenge to her ability to become politically active or pose a meaningful challenge to Oli, who retains a firm grip on the party. Oli is poised to secure a third consecutive term as party leader, barring any dramatic developments. In Bhandari’s absence, no leader appears willing to contest the party leadership at the upcoming general convention.
Meanwhile, within the Nepali Congress (NC), senior leader Shekhar Koirala has been meeting with both ruling and opposition party leaders, though the reasons remain unclear. Prime Minister Oli, however, reportedly views these meetings as attempts to unseat his government. Seven NC second-rung leaders also held a luncheon at Prakash Man Singh’s residence, but the meeting failed to generate any notable impact within the party.
Koirala has separately met opposition leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal and former President Bhandari. He has grown increasingly vocal in criticizing the government, arguing that UML is attacking the core values of the NC and that the party should withdraw from the coalition. Some speculate that Koirala is positioning himself to become prime minister by dismantling the current coalition. However, he lacks the numbers needed to become the parliamentary party leader. Koirala believes that if he can ascend to the premiership before the party’s general convention, he could influence the party’s internal elections.
Several key bills related to land, education, and the Constitutional Council have become contentious issues among coalition partners. Serious differences persist between NC and UML on these matters, and while they may not immediately threaten the coalition, they are a source of growing friction. Senior leaders from both parties are engaged in ongoing discussions, but efforts to bridge the divide have thus far failed. NC leaders are also pressuring President Ram Chandra Poudel to reject the bill concerning the Constitutional Council.
UML is under public scrutiny for its apparent double standards on the “cooling-off” period in the Civil Service Bill. While some of its National Assembly members support removing this provision, both the NC and the CPN (Maoist Center) are firmly opposed to any compromise. In a previous incident, the bureaucracy altered a draft bill passed by the House of Representatives, prompting the formation of a probe panel to investigate.
Within the Maoist Center, the rift between party chair Dahal and Janardhan Sharma is deepening. Sharma is reportedly trying to form a rival faction within the party. Recently, he publicly remarked that apart from Manmohan Adhikari, all communist leaders have engaged in the accumulation of vast wealth, a comment that has irritated Dahal. While several second-tier leaders are seeking a change in leadership, Dahal remains unwilling to step down.
The Rastriya Prajatantra Party, once in the national spotlight, is now mired in internal disunity. Senior leaders like Dhawal Shumsher Rana and Prakash Chandra Lohani have criticized party chair Rajendra Lingden for alleged bias against party members and cadres. Senior leader Rabindra Mishra, however, remains silent amid the growing intra-party conflict.
This week, media reports suggested that Prime Minister Oli is planning an official visit to New Delhi. Some outlets have speculated on possible dates, but officials have yet to confirm details. Nonetheless, both countries have recently discussed important matters such as mutual legal assistance and an extradition treaty.
The government has declared Madhesh Province a disaster-affected zone due to a prolonged drought that has severely impacted drinking water supplies, irrigation, and agriculture. Climate change is dramatically reshaping life in the region, from drying springs to plummeting rice yields. Locals say they feel increasingly estranged from the very elements that once sustained them. “Neither the rice feels like ours anymore, nor the water,” many say, as parched fields and vanishing water sources force families to walk miles just to collect a single bucket.
