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CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli has been admitted to the Maharajgunj-based Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) on Saturday.

Oli was taken to the District Police Range, Kathmandu after being arrested from his residence in Bhaktapur this morning.

Immediately, police took him to the TUTH for a routine health check-up. 

Although preparations were underway to keep him in custody, doctors advised that he be admitted to the hospital for observation, according to a source.

Oli is a patient of kidney transplant. 

Police on Saturday arrested Nepal's former Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli from his Gundu-based residence in Bhaktapur. 

An arrest warrant was handed over to Oli before he was taken into custody, according to SP Surys Bahadur Khadka, Chief at the District Police Range, Kathmandu.

A police team had reached his residence at 5 am today to arrest him.

Authorities said that he was detained while implementing the report of the inquiry commission formed to investigate Gen Z protests held on September 8 and 9.

A total of 77 people were killed-many of them protesters shot by police- during the protests, which also resulted in the destruction of government and private property worth billions of rupees.

The move follows the Cabinet decision taken on Friday to immediately implement the commission's recommendations. 

Government spokesperson and Minister for Education, Science and Technology Sasmit Pokharel had said that the first Cabinet meeting held under the headship of  Prime Minister Balendra Shah in Singha Durbar on Friday had decided to implement the issues recommended by the inquiry commission.

The meeting had also decided to form a study committee to examine issues pertaining to the security mechanisms involving individuals and bodies named in the report and act in accordance with the recommendations submitted by the committee, and to direct the concerned bodies to promptly act on the recommendations made by the commission in the case of others.

Following the decision, Home Minister Sudhan Gurung directed Inspector General of Police Dan Bahadur Karki and Inspector General of Armed Police Force Raju Aryal to arrest UML Chairman Oli and Nepali Congress leader Ramesh Lekhak.

ALSO READ: Nepal’s former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak detained

Meanwhile, UML Secretary Mahesh Basnet has criticized the arrest of former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, calling it an act of political revenge and prejudice.

In a social media post, Basnet criticized the current government led by Prime Minister Balendra Shah, particularly the appointment of Home Minister Sudan Gurung, describing it as controversial and inexperienced.

Calling for action, Basnet urged party members and supporters to participate in demonstrations to safeguard democratic values and oppose what he described as “revenge politics.” He added that further details of the protest program would be announced following a party secretariat meeting scheduled for the morning.

Meanwhile, taking to Facebook, a social media platform, Home Minister Gurung said that the actions were guided by law and not driven by revenge.

He clarified that the arrest was made following the recommendation of the inquiry commission formed to investigate the Gen Z protests held on September 8 and 9.

"No one is above the law. This is not revenge against anyone. It is just the beginning of justice", Minister Gurung stated.

He also expressed confidence that the country will now take a new course.

An investigation panel formed to examine the September 8-9 protests has recommended that then-Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, and Nepal Police Chief Chandra Kishwor Khapung be held accountable for the deaths of protesters, most of whom were college students. The Sushila Karki-led government has decided to make the report public after parts of it were leaked to the media. 

The Karki-led government had formed a panel headed by Gauri Bahadur Karki, which submitted its report last week. The onus now lies on the new government, led by Balendra Shah, to implement the report’s recommendations.

The panel has recommended investigating the officials under Section 181 of the Muluki Criminal Code, 2018. This section states that “no one shall cause the death of another through negligent acts.” If a death occurs due to such negligence, the law provides for imprisonment ranging from three to ten years and a fine of NPR 30,000 to NPR 100,000. Additionally, the commission has recommended taking action against dozens of government officials for failing to fulfill their duties.

According to the report, despite being informed about the growing security threats, the Prime Minister did not take timely initiatives to prevent casualties. The panel noted that if military and police coordination had been effective, the number of deaths and injuries could have been significantly reduced. 

The report emphasizes that Nepal, while having a parliamentary system, operates effectively as a Prime Ministerial system. Even when gunfire continued for nearly four hours around the Parliament building, resulting in several deaths and hundreds of injuries, it was the Prime Minister’s responsibility—as head of government—to ensure the protection of all citizens. The failure of responsible officials to act, and the Prime Minister’s inability to prevent further loss of life, represents a major institutional weakness, according to the report.

The commission also raised questions about the role of the Nepal Army during the protests. While army personnel were deployed at key locations such as Singha Durbar and Sheetal Niwas, the report notes that the army did not appear to carry out its duty to protect these sensitive sites. Commanders stationed at Singha Durbar, the Presidential residence (Sheetal Niwas), the Federal Parliament building in Baneshwor, and the Prime Minister’s residence in Baluwatar reportedly failed to fulfill their responsibilities.

It was also revealed that Nepal Army Chief Ashok Raj Sigdel pressured Prime Minister Oli to resign on the morning of September 9. In his statement to the commission, the Army Chief said he had informed the Prime Minister that the army was fully prepared to manage the situation following the resignation.

The report highlights systemic lapses in intelligence gathering, inter-agency coordination, and preventive measures, warning that future incidents could escalate without reforms in political and security leadership. It points out that security agencies had insufficient information regarding the preparations made by protest organizers.

 The National Investigation Department, tasked with intelligence collection, failed to gather adequate information. Similarly, coordination among the Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, and Nepal Army was found to be lacking.

To strengthen Nepal’s security apparatus, the commission has recommended conducting coordinated training programs with the security agencies of India and China. “To enhance the effectiveness of security agencies, diplomatic efforts should be made to conduct coordinated training programs with the security agencies of the two neighboring countries, India and China,” the report states.

The commission also highlighted the role of online platforms, particularly Discord, in organizing the protests. Groups such as “Youth Against Corruption” and “Yuva Hub” facilitated coordination, decision-making, and political endorsements, including the virtual selection of Sushila Karki as Prime Minister. While the District Administration Office prepared security plans for peaceful rallies, messages promoting violence and Molotov cocktails circulated freely online, largely unchecked by security agencies.

In his testimony, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, chairman of the Nepali Communist Party, suggested the possibility of both internal and external infiltration in the protests. Similarly, Rabi Lamichhane, chairman of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, stated that he was forcibly removed from jail against his will and clarified that his party was not involved in the September 8-9 protests. Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah, who is poised to become Prime Minister, emphasized that he supported the peaceful rallies but was not directly involved in the protests.

President Ram Chandra Paudel has expressed heartfelt condolences to KP Sharma Oli, Chairman of the CPN-UML, who is in mourning.

President Paudel visited the residence of former Prime Minister Oli in Gundu, Bhaktapur to express his condolences and other members of the mourning family.

Former Prime Minister Oli's father, Mohan Prasad Oli, passed away last Friday at the age of 97.

CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli today voted in the House of Representatives (HoR) elections-2026. 

He visited the polling center at Mahendra Shanti Secondary School in Balkot, Suryabinayak Municipality-2, Bhaktapur, and cast his vote.

Oli is also contesting the election from Jhapa Constituency-5. 

After voting, he expressed hope that the election would conclude peacefully and impartially across the country.

The March 5 parliamentary election is not merely a battle for seats, but for the ideological essence and the mode of governance of the nation. The newly formed Nepali Communist Party (NCP), created by the merger of ten unique communist groups, aims to reclaim the hegemony of the left. The Nepali Congress (NC), revitalized and fragmented with Gagan Thapa at the helm, marks a new generation of leadership that is moving away from the Sher Bahadur Deuba era. CPN-UML is trying to revive under the same KP Sharma Oli despite the backlash from the people.

However, these forces are just ‘old’ contenders for the election. The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), along with its strategic allies, has chosen former Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balen Shah as their prime ministerial candidate, hoping to capture the anti-incumbency sentiment of almost 19m voters and bring a technocratic revolution in the nation.

The election is marked by the presence of a number of ‘heavyweight’ contests where senior leaders face existential risks from each other or from emerging challengers. Based on the 2022 electoral baseline and the strategic realities of the 2026 race, here are the 11 most important constituencies that could determine the future balance of power in Nepal’s politics.

Jhapa-5

Jhapa-5 has come to occupy the center-stage in the election of 2026, with a direct confrontation between the Chairperson of the UML and former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and RSP’s Prime Ministerial Candidate Balen Shah. The constituency has traditionally been a stronghold of the UML, and it is interesting that Shah has chosen to fight this election in an attempt to take on the ‘titan’ in his own den.

Oli won this seat in the election of 2022 with relative ease, garnering 52,319 votes, more than twice the number of votes garnered by his closest contender from Nepali Congress, who managed only 23,743 votes. Shah has a considerable pull among the youths and new migrants in semi-rural districts like Jhapa. Although Oli still enjoys considerable support through the organizational strength of the UML and the traditional voter base of the party, especially among the elderly populations, the election here will now be a direct contest between ‘political longevity’ and ‘youths’. Even a slight loss of vote share by Oli will make this election a neck-and-neck contest.

Sarlahi-4

The newly elected President of the Nepali Congress, Gagan Kumar Thapa, is making a unique move by giving up a secure seat in Kathmandu-4 and opting for a contest from Sarlahi-4 in Madhes. Thapa is pitted against Amresh Kumar Singh, who emerged victorious as an independent candidate in 2022 and joined RSP recently. Singh polled 20,017 votes, while Nagendra Kumar Yadav of Nepali Congress secured 18,252 votes to finish second in the electoral race. Singh, who had won from the same constituency as a NC candidate in the 2017 polls, chose to contest as an independent after he was denied a party ticket.

Thapa is a national figure with minimal roots in Sarlahi-4, while Singh enjoys a strong support base because of his image as an anti-establishment leader. Also in the race are UML, NCP, JSP, and a number of independent candidates. In this contest, it remains to be seen whether Thapa’s image as a national figure will be able to overcome the issue of identity-based voting in Madhes. Thapa’s failure will be a disaster for his prime ministerial ambition, while Singh’s win will establish him as a giant-killer.

Rukum East

NCP Coordinator and former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal is contesting from Rukum East, a district he calls the ‘new headquarters’ of the party. He is challenged by a symbolic but very powerful contender in Sandeep Pun of the Pragatisheel Loktantrik Party, who is the son of a leading martyr of the Maoist insurgency.

Dahal’s decision to contest from Rukum East is his return to the revolutionary stronghold to ensure a smooth entry into the new parliament with waning support in the urban areas. However, Pun represents a section of the ‘Maoist base’ who feels betrayed by the leadership’s merger politics and corruption. Most importantly, there are reports that the UML has agreed to extend its tacit support to the candidates of Pragatisheel Loktantrik Party in this region to clip the wings of Dahal’s power.

Chitwan-3

Chitwan-3 features a high-stakes encounter between Renu Dahal, the former Mayor of Bharatpur Metropolitan City and daughter of NCP Coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal, and Sobita Gautam of the RSP. In 2022, Rastriya Prajatantra Party’s Bikram Pandey had won from here defeating then CPN (Maoist Center)’s Bhojraj Adhikari by 9,747 vote margins.

Dahal aims to reclaim her father’s legacy seat by showcasing her developmental achievements as Bharatpur Mayor. Meanwhile, Gautam, a rising star of the 2022 RSP wave, has moved constituencies to challenge the ‘first family’ of the NCP. This contest is a referendum on whether the ‘service delivery’ model of the Dahal family can withstand the RSP’s ‘new force’ narrative.

Kathmandu-4

Kathmandu-4 has become an open battlefield following Gagan Thapa’s departure. In 2022, Thapa won comfortably with 21,302 votes, while UML finished second with 13,855 votes. The 2022 results highlight why the seat is volatile. Although RSP did not field a direct candidate, it secured 9,412 proportional representation votes, indicating a strong appetite for change. NC received only 11,808 PR votes, suggesting much of its support was tied to Thapa’s personal appeal rather than party loyalty. The UML showed a similar gap, with 13,855 direct votes against 10,560 PR votes, while RPP posted a notable 6,881 PR votes.

Starting from a base of nearly 10,000 votes without an FPTP candidate last time, RSP sees a clear opening and has fielded Pukar Bam in the race. Congress candidate Sachin Timalsina is a new face, making a smooth transfer of Thapa’s vote bank uncertain. UML’s Rajan Bhattarai, contesting for the third time, faces an equally tough challenge as urban and GenZ voters increasingly question traditional party dominance. Bam, who has made his name for his civic activism, makes him a credible contender, positioning Kathmandu-4 as one of the clearest indicators of whether urban political change will translate into electoral victory.

Kathmandu-5

The constituency of Kathmandu-5 is witnessing a hot and crowded contest between NC General Secretary Pradeep Paudel, UML’s senior leader Ishwar Pokharel, RPP leader Kamal Thapa, and RSP’s Sashmit Pokharel. The constituency is a symbol of the larger struggle between reformism, communism, and royalism.

Pokharel seeks to reclaim the seat he lost in 2022, emphasizing his seniority and past ministerial record. Paudel, now a key figure in the Thapa-led NC, relies on his reputation as a clean, reformist leader. The entry of Thapa and Sashmit creates a four-way contest that makes the outcome highly unpredictable. This race will determine if the ‘youth wave’ that favored Paudel in 2022 has matured into a stable constituency or if the fragmented vote will allow the UML to return or the RSP’s Sashmit, who has worked with Balen Shah’s team in Kathmandu Metropolitan City.

Saptari-2

CK Raut, the chairperson of the Janamat Party, seeks to retain Saptari-2 after his historic defeat of Upendra Yadav in 2022. Raut secured 35,042 votes, while Yadav managed only 16,979. The landslide victory marked the arrival of Janamat as a serious political force. This constituency remains the focal point of the Madhes, where regional identity clashes with the Janamat Party’s ‘alternative’ development narrative. Raut faces a re-energized field as national parties like the UML and NC have prioritized this seat to curb the Janamat Party’s expansion. While Raut’s 2022 margin was massive, the 2026 contest involved a more fragmented Madhesi vote, with several ‘new forces’ attempting to slice into his youth base. Also, Raut’s Janamat Party in recent months has experienced a split. This time, he is facing JSP’s Umesh Kumar Yadav. The result will indicate whether Janamat’s success was a one-time wave or a lasting realignment.

Chitwan-2

Chitwan-2 is noteworthy as the least competitive and most politically significant seat. In 2022, the seat was won by Rabi Lamichhane with a landslide victory of 49,300 votes, leaving behind the candidates of the Nepali Congress and the UML. The same was repeated by Lamichhane in the by-elections of 2023, securing an even higher number of votes. In 2026, Lamichhane is up against relatively low-profile candidates of the traditional political parties. Unless there is a major swing in voter preference, Chitwan-2 is likely to be with the RSP party.

Sunsari-1

Sunsari-1 is turning out to be one of the most unpredictable contests in the eastern part of Nepal. In the 2022 election, JSP’s Ashok Rai won the seat with a narrow margin of only 453 votes, defeating RSP’s Goma Tamang, who received 16,606 votes. The same unpredictability has been witnessed in the 2026 election, but with a twist.

Harka Sampang, the former Mayor of Dharan Sub-metropolitan City who resigned to contest the general election, has formed the Shram Shakti Party. Contesting on the symbol of ‘two hands holding soil’, Sampang brings a unique, labor-oriented populism to Sunsari-1. Sampang’s campaign is characterized by its grassroots activism, including door-to-door cleaning drives and a focus on ‘soil and sweat’. He faces Samir Tamang of the RSP and candidates from the JSP, NC and UML, who are struggling to match his ‘stubborn’ local visibility. This battle will signal whether local, issue-based movements can transcend to the national legislative level.   

Tanahun–1

Tanahun-1 has turned out to be one of the most revealing constituencies in the country. In 2022, Nepali Congress leader Ram Chandra Paudel won this seat by securing 25,361 votes. The second position was taken by the UML party with 19,981 votes, and RSP was nowhere in the picture. However, in the 2023 by-election, it was RSP’s Swarnim Wagle who won by an overwhelming margin. This shows that there has been a tremendous shift in voters’ behavior. In 2026, Wagle will face Nepali Congress candidate Govinda Bhattarai, UML’s Bhagwati Neupane, and NCP candidate among others.

Gulmi-1

Gulmi-1 has emerged as one of the most unpredictable electoral arenas in the Lumbini province, as the traditional bipolar struggle between the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML is shattered by the entry of formidable new challengers.

In 2022, Chandra Bhandari secured a hard-fought victory against the UML’s Pradeep Gyawali. The 2026 battle is defined as a ‘four-way contest’. Gyawali seeks to reclaim his former seat by relying on a strong UML organizational base, while Bhandari faces the challenge of maintaining his vote. The dynamic is fundamentally altered by Sagar Dhakal (RSP), who previously gained national prominence for challenging Sher Bahadur Deuba in Dadheldhura, and Sudarshan Baral (NCP), a senior leader and former provincial minister representing the unified leftist front. This multi-cornered fight is a critical test of whether the ‘new wave’ can dismantle established strongholds in rural heartlands.

The socio-political genesis of the 2026 election

This catalyzing event for an early election was the widespread civil unrest that gripped Nepal in 8-9 Sept 2025. While this unrest was tipped by a government crackdown on social media platforms, there were simmering frustrations with corruption, economic stagnation, and the perceived arrogance of the ruling parties. Ultimately, this unrest resulted in a minimum of 76 deaths. The GenZ movement, with its decentralized and digital nature, effectively delegitimized the government of KP Sharma Oli and forced a constitutional reset. 

The appointment of Sushila Karki as interim Prime Minister was a stabilizing force that allowed for elections to be conducted while the traditional parties purged and merged themselves. The period between this uprising and the scheduled March 5 elections has been one of unprecedented political machinations. The Election Commission (EC) has finally verified a voter list of 18,903,689 voters for this 2026 cycle. While this represents a 5.09 percent increase from 2022, 1.1m voters represent a new voter turnout, primarily from the youth who spearheaded this GenZ movement.

CPN-UML Chairman and former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli registered his nomination for the election to the House of Representatives from Jhapa-5.

After filing his nomination at the Office of the Election Officer today, Oli said he has no “competitor” in the election. 

He had also won the 2022 House of Representatives election from Jhapa-5.

According to Election Officer Bidur Kumari Karki, senior leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), Balendra Shah (Balen), had earlier filed his nomination from Jhapa-5. 

Shah resigned as the mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City a few days ago to contest the election.

Similarly, eight candidates have already filed their nominations from Jhapa-5. 

They include Ranjit Tamang of the Nepali Communist Party, Laxmi Prasad Sangroula of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Dharma Raj Guragain of the People First Party, Ram Bahadur Meche of the Mongol National Organisation, Sachin Rai of the Rastriya Pariwartan Party, and independent candidate Matrika Bhattarai.

CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli will contest the House of Representatives elections scheduled for March 5 from Jhapa-5. 

Deputy General Secretary Lekhraj Bhatt said the party’s Secretariat meeting held on Saturday decided to field Oli as the party’s candidate from the constituency.

Former Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli has said that the Gen Z protests that led to the ouster of Nepal’s government in September 2025 were unusual and organized in a planned way. 

In an interview with RT, a Russian Media Outlet,  the former PM said Sri Lanka and Bangladesh had warned that the protests that happened in these countries could happen in Nepal as well.

“That was not a simple and usual thing. That was unusual, and it couldn’t have taken place all of a sudden. It was organized in a planned way, it seems even at that time and later on,” Oli said in an exclusive interview on Monday.

“Bangladesh and Sri Lanka were telling us… Leaders were talking that such things would happen, and things happened. It was an attack on our democracy to send back them to poverty,” Oli said.

CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Communist Party Coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal held a meeting at the residence of businessman Sharada Prasad Adhikari in Manbhawan, Lalitpur on Sunday. 

Adhikari is a trusted and close businessman of Dahal.

They had a conversation for over an hour, according to a source. 

After holding a meeting with Dahal, Oli went straight to Gundu, Bhaktapur. 

With the unification of new parties for the House of Representatives elections scheduled for March 5, informal discussions are underway among the leaders of the three major political parties—Nepali Congress, UML and the Nepali Communist Party—for electoral alliance.

However, the alliance has not been finalized.

They discussed contemporary political issues and electoral alliance for the forthcoming elections, Dahal Secretariat said.

Meanwhile, Dahal is leaving for India to take part in a program today. 

The interim government is giving continuity to holding consultations with the top leaders of the key political parties to create an enabling environment for the March 5 elections.

Towards this, Minister for Communication and Information Technology Jagadish Kharel held a meeting with CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli at the latter's residence at Gundu, Bhaktapur today.

Minister Kharel is a member of the Political Dialogue Committee formed by the interim government to engage with political parties and stakeholders to create a favorable atmosphere for the election to the House of Representatives.

Earlier today, Minister Kharel consulted with Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba regarding the impending election. 

The government led by Prime Minister Sushila Karki has been effortful to successfully conduct the fresh election on March 5, 2026 by forging a national consensus.

CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba held a meeting at the latter’s residence in Maharajgunj on Monday.

During the meeting, they discussed contemporary political issues, current situation of the country, and mutual cooperation, it has been learnt.

UML General Secretary Shankar Pokharel was also present in the meeting. 

KP Sharma Oli has won the intra-party election for a third consecutive term. The party’s 11th General Convention, held this week in Kathmandu, is widely seen as a test of Oli’s popularity within the party following the GenZ protests of September 8–9, which had ousted him from power.

His re-election with a two-thirds majority signals that Oli continues to wield strong influence and remains popular among party cadres, if not in public. Party leaders say Oli’s resounding victory also serves as an endorsement of the political position he took against the GenZ movement.

Over the past 100 days since the September protests, Oli has consistently argued that the protests were directed against the party itself and that the party must resist forces conspiring to weaken it. His re-election suggests that a significant majority of party members have subscribed to this view.

Oli believes his victory is a response to claims—widely circulated after the September protests—that the era of traditional political parties and veteran leaders is over. During this period, both inside and outside major political parties, there was intense debate suggesting that current leaders should retire in recognition of the GenZ protests. Addressing the convention, Oli said, “Some forces are engaged in deceitful conspiracies against us; now such reactionaries have been crushed.”

A clear indication of this sentiment is the success of leaders who were vocal critics of the GenZ protests. For instance, General Secretary Shankar Pokharel, who strongly criticized the protests in their early days, was re-elected after defeating former Finance Minister Surendra Pandey. Similarly, Mahesh Basnet, who had publicly confronted GenZ leaders, was elected party secretary.

Soon after the GenZ protests, senior leaders including Ishwar Pokharel, Surendra Pandey, Gokarna Bista, Astha Laxmi Shakya, and Yubaraj Gyawali and others had urged Oli to step down as party chair, arguing that the killing of 19 students on September 8 had triggered a public backlash. Oli, however, remained defiant and chose to seek internal legitimacy through the party’s general convention.

Convention representatives ultimately re-elected him with nearly a two-thirds majority. Of the 2,277 delegates who voted, Oli secured 1,663 votes—almost 75 percent—while his challenger, Ishwar Pokharel, received only 564 votes. Only a handful of leaders who favored leadership change and were sympathetic to the GenZ protests succeeded in the elections.

For example, Gokarna Bista was elected vice-chairperson and Yogesh Bhattarai deputy general secretary. Both leaders had earlier advocated for age and term limits for the party president—two terms and a maximum age of 70. Both leaders have taken softer stance towards the demands of GenZ protestors. Bista and Bhattarai have expressed a relatively conciliatory approach toward the demands raised by the GenZ protestors. 

Since the beginning, Oli has framed the September 8–9 protests as a conspiracy by “foreign powers” aimed at dislodging him and his party from power. He has maintained that while he would accept the student-led protest held on the morning of September 8, he rejects the events of September 8–9 as a people’s movement, as characterized by the Sushila Karki-led government.

Without elaborating, Oli said after his re-election that his party was “betrayed” on September 9, the second day of the protests, and vowed not to allow a repeat. He instructed party organizations to ensure security at the community level, citing a lack of trust in the current government.

“We could be deceived again, so we must take responsibility for our own security. Form security teams in society,” Oli said, dismissing the current government as unconstitutional.

While Oli has not directly opposed the March 5 elections, he has expressed skepticism that the current government will be able to conduct them. He has warned the government to either make credible preparations for the polls or step down.

The CPN-UML has already filed a writ at the Supreme Court demanding the restoration of Parliament, and the largest party, Nepali Congress, has followed suit. Lawmakers from both parties are now preparing to jointly approach the Supreme Court seeking parliamentary restoration.

Following his re-election, Oli has adopted an even more aggressive posture toward both the government and the GenZ movement. Last week, the Sushila Karki-led government and GenZ representatives signed an agreement recognizing the GenZ movement as a people’s movement. Oli rejected the agreement, calling it “mere drama” and saying he would not accept it.

As a probe commission formed to investigate the September 8–9 events prepares to summon Oli, he has declined to appear. The document endorsed by the party convention has declared the commission invalid and demanded the formation of an independent investigation commission led by a former chief justice of the Supreme Court.

After consolidating his position as party chair, Oli’s immediate priority appears to be dislodging the current government and exerting pressure on the judiciary to revive Parliament. However, if the government proceeds with the planned March 5 elections, the UML is likely to participate in the polls.

CPN UML Chairman, KP Sharma Oli has said that the UML is shouldering a huge responsibility as the country is facing hard times at present. 

The central committee of the party must carry out its responsibility with utmost devotion, he reminded.

Chairman Oli, who has been reelected to the post for the third time, said it while urging the party line in the first meeting of the newly elected central committee through the 11th National Congress. 

"The National Congress was successful from every angle. Although the party sees occasional problems, all should be aware not to repeat weaknesses," he stressed. 

The Chairman announced the party would move ahead as per the policy the National Congress passed. "We must have a unified voice. UML activities will reflect synchronicity," he added.

Chairman Oli directed the party line not to disclose intra-party differences and disputes in the media but to submit in writing or verbally before the party leadership. He further said, "Discipline is essential because we are social beings. As UML is a leading political power, it is further imperative for us."

UML is not rowdy like the group which torched Singha Durbar, he said, adding that personal freedoms should not breach party lines and collective welfare. The forthcoming party meeting will have further decency, according to him.

Oli urged leaders not to be perturbed by the baseless rumours against UML. "There are no factions nor groups in UML; the party is a unified whole," Oli underscored.

The country, at present, is at a crossroads, so UML itself will bring politics back on track.

KP Sharma Oli has been re-elected as Chairman of the CPN-UML, securing a third consecutive term by defeating party rival Ishwor Pokharel at the 11th General Convention.

According to the final vote count, Oli received 1,663 votes, while Pokharel garnered 564.

Voting, which began on Wednesday morning, saw 2,227 of the 2,263 general convention delegates cast their ballots. Thirty-six representatives abstained from the voting process.

Chairman KP Sharma Oli and senior Vice Chairman Ishwor Pokharel filed their candidacies for the post of chairperson under its 11th General Congress. 

Both of them reached the office of the Central Election Commission set up at General Congress venue, Bhrikutimandap, with supporters today and filed their nominations.    

Chair Oli filed his candidacy at 3:30 pm while senior Vice Chair Pokharel at around 3 pm for the post of Chairperson. 

Aspirant candidates have been registering their nominations for the post of office-bearers and central committee members. 

The UML General Convention would elect a 301-member new working committee.