CPN-UML has decided to renew, revive, or reactivate the membership of Bidya Devi Bhandari. This is not merely a renewal of membership, but also an attempt to salvage a shrinking party. The party hinted at this development on May 17 by inviting her to a party function.
Earlier, her membership had been scrapped after she challenged party chairman KP Sharma Oli. However, some spin doctors interpreted the move as an effort to preserve the sanctity of the office of the head of state. In defending Oli, they tried to portray the issue as a matter of principle. Now, her membership has been revived without any clear justification.
Possibly, Bhandari may have agreed to take over the party leadership from Oli. Oli, who had appeared determined to continue leading the party even after the March 5 elections, now faces unprecedented pressure to step down. His health condition is also preventing him from remaining active. Over the past few weeks, apart from some social media posts, he has not spoken publicly, signaling some sort of problem inside the party.
However, such a transition will not be easy, as Oli was elected through the party’s general convention. In this scenario, he may continue as leader while gradually giving more space to Bhandari.
After Oli was arrested by the police, former Maoist rebel Ram Bahadur Thapa has been serving as the acting leader of both the party and its parliamentary wing. There is unease within the party, as Thapa, also known as Badal, has taken a confrontational stance against key state institutions. His rhetoric resembles the language he used while representing the hardline faction of the Maoists between 2008 and 2013.
Traditionally, UML had maintained a good rapport with state institutions, including the Nepal Army and the bureaucracy. However, Thapa has damaged this relationship by making serious accusations against these institutions. Senior UML leaders have tried to control the damage.
For now, Bhandari is more likely to unify the party than fully revive it, as most senior leaders after Oli appear willing to accept her leadership. In addition, other communist parties struggling for political survival could potentially rally under her leadership. The old slogan of left unity could resurface in the coming weeks.
However, it remains uncertain whether she can truly revive the party, as the March elections signaled a broader generational shift in politics. Bhandari, who is already over 60, may face difficulties in attracting younger voters. Moreover, youth disenchantment with communist parties is at an all-time high. But who can say that people will not once again vote for communist parties, as they did in 2017?
Therefore, it would be premature to write off the history of UML and other communist parties, even though the party is currently facing a historic crisis. It is important to remember that UML still has strong organizational strength at the grassroots level. The UML could attempt to rebrand itself by moving away from its communist identity and instead projecting itself as a socialist party.
