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Although voting in the ongoing 11th National Congress of the CPN UML was said to begin from 8:00, it began delaying an hour.

The National Congress to elect new leadership in UML is going on at Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu. 

It was inaugurated by Chairman, KP Sharma Oli, at Sallaghari, Bhaktapur last Saturday. 

KP Sharma Oli and Ishwor Pokharel are vying for the post of chairman. Oli is in re-election bid for the third time in a row.

A total of 660 leaders have filed candidacies for the 301-member central committee in the party. 

There are 80 machines installed for voting. As many as 2,263 representatives are attending the convention.

The leadership-changing convention of the UML is held in the wake of the Sept 8-9 Gen Z movement that significantly influenced national politics. 

The event is observed with keen interest whether Oli, who had to step down as Prime Minister of the coalition government following the Gen Z movement, will be reelected chairman for the third time to reinforce his power in the party or gets drubbed by Pokharel. 

The Oli-led faction has claimed that it is an adverse situation facing the party and country, which warrants a leadership of able person, while Pokharel and his panel have asserted that Oli should not continue considering the anti-incumbency atmosphere, especially after the Gen Z movement.

The final list of candidates for the election to be held under the 11th National Congress of the CPN-UML has been published. 

As per the name list of the candidates published by the Central Election Commission of the party, Chairperson KP Sharma Oli and senior Vice-President Ishwor Pokharel are contesting for the post of Chairperson. 

Similarly, 11 candidates have filed their candidacies for five posts of Vice Chairperson. 

Similarly, Shankar Pokhrel and Surendra Pandey have registered their nominations for the post of General Secretary. 

Likewise, seven people have registered their candidacies for the post of Deputy General Secretary as well as 20 candidacies for nine Secretaries. 

The Commission has made preparations to hold voting from 4 pm today. 

There are 2,262 representatives in the National Congress.

The representatives of the 11th National Congress of the CPN-UML are going to vote today to elect the new leadership of the party.  

According to the Chairman of UML Central Election Commission Dr Bijaya Subba, the voting will take place this afternoon. 

It is said that the voting will be conducted by electronic voting machines. 

A total of 80 electronic voting machines have been arranged for the voting purpose.  

Managing Director of Ram Laxman Innovation Pvt. Ltd, Laxman Rimal, said that entry of the candidates' name list is going on from the company.

“We are making efforts to complete our part in time and handover to the UML Central Election Commission," Rimal shared.

He also hinted at some delay in the voting time since it is time consuming to enter the names of the candidates given the large number of the candidates.   

Aspirant candidates on Monday registered their nominations for the post of office-bearers and central committee members and the final name list of the voters was released on Monday itself. 

The UML's 11th National Congress will elect a 301-member new central committee.

As per the schedule, the voting will be held at Bhrikutimandap in Kathmandu this afternoon. 

Chairperson KP Sharma Oli and Senior Vice Chairperson Ishwor Pokharel are vying for the top post in the UML.

The candidacy filing of the candidates for the election of the new leadership is taking place today in the ongoing 11th National Congress of the CPN-UML, according to the Chairman of UML Central Election Commission Dr Bijaya Subba.

The namelist of the voters was made public last evening. The timeline to lodge complaints over the voters' namelist was set until 9 this morning.

The final namelist of the voters will be published at 10:15 am today and the candidates will be given the nomination form from 9 am to 12 this afternoon.

The candidates can register their forms from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm and the preliminary namelist of the candidates will be released at 2:30 pm. 

Dr Subba said that complaints on the candidates could be filed from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm today itself. 

Likewise, the final namelist of the candidates will be made public at 6 this evening, Dr Subba said.

As per the schedule, the voting will be held at Bhrikutimandap in Kathmandu from 11am to 5 pm on December 16. 

The voting will be conducted by electronic voting machines. 

Incumbent Chairman KP Sharma Oli and senior Vice Chairman Ishwor Pokhrel are vying for the top post in the UML.

The CPN-UML has decided to change the structure of office bearers.

The Central Committee meeting held today prior to the start of the closed session of the 11th General Assembly has decided to remove the post of senior vice chairperson.

Standing Committee member Sher Bahadur Tamang informed that the meeting has decided to float a statute amendment proposal to form a 351-member committee including 19 office bearers by removing the post of senior vice chairperson and adding the post of secretary.

The CPN-UML Central Committee held its last meeting today before the start of the closed-door session of the party's 11th National Congress. 

The meeting was held to discuss the agenda of the closed session. 

Opening the meeting, Chairman KP Sharma Oli said that the presence of party cadres at the inauguration ceremony of the National Congress yesterday confirmed the relevance of political parties in the country.

At the meeting, General Secretary Shankar Pokhrel presented the agenda including the election schedule, code of conduct, and current issues to be presented in the closed session.

The CPN-UML, the second largest party in the dissolved House of Representatives, appears to have a two-pronged strategy in a fluid political context as two recent moves of the party indicate.    

Mahesh Bartauala, chief whip of the UML parliamentary party in the dissolved House of Representatives (HoR), and Sunita Baral have filed a writ at the Supreme Court seeking reinstatement of the HoR. 

At the same time, the CPN-UML has registered itself at the Election Commission, making it clear that it is ready to contest the HoR elections slated for March 5 next year. 

Niraj Acharya, head of the party’s Election Department, and Office Secretary Bhishma Adhikari submitted the party registration application at the Election Commission, becoming the 66th registered party vying for the polls. 

After the registration, department Head Acharya said that UML is a party that completes all legal procedures for every type of election, and therefore the party has been registered accordingly.

The deadline for registering political parties for the HoR elections is until Mangsir 10 (Nov 26). 

According to Bartauala, the UML has moved the court seeking the reinstatement of the House of Representatives on the following counts.

1. Since Sushila Karki, a retired chief justice, is neither a member of the House of Representatives nor does she enjoy support from the parliamentary party of any political party for premiership, her appointment as Prime Minister is unconstitutional and in violation of Articles 76 and 132(2) of the Constitution. Therefore, the court should issue an order of certiorari against her appointment as PM.

2. The court should quash the Sept 12 decision of the President to appoint Sushila Karki as the PM, the swearing-in conducted on that basis and all other relevant appointments, along with all other illegal and unconstitutional actions, decisions and appointments. 

3. The presidential decision to dissolve the HoR, made on Sept 12 on the recommendation of PM Karki, should be quashed and the HoR reinstated. All state bodies and institutions that existed on that date should continue to function like they did before, and an order of mandamus should be issued in the name of respondents.

4. The court should issue a mandamus order to the President to begin the process of forming a new government in accordance with Article 76 of the Constitution.

5. It should issue a mandamus order to the Speaker and the Parliament Secretariat to make necessary arrangements for convening the session of the reinstated HoR.

6. After the reinstatement of the HoR, the court should issue an order of prohibition directing the government constituted unconstitutionally to halt all activities related to the HoR elections.

7. Considering the seriousness and sensitivity of the subject matter, this petition needs to be decided promptly. The respondents should be ordered to submit their written replies, and a continuous hearing conducted by fixing a date for the hearing.

The CPN-UML today filed a writ petition at the Supreme Court, seeking reinstatement of the House of Representatives (HoR).

Chief Whip of the UML Parliamentary Party in the dissolved HoR, Mahesh Bartaula, and Whip Sunita Baral jointly filed the writ petition at the apex court. 

The writ petition has demanded the revocation of appointment of Prime Minister Sushila Karki, the decision of HoR dissolution as well as all the decisions and appointments made after HoR dissolution. 

Chief Whip Bartaula mentioned that the writ petition has urged Karki's appointment be declared unconstitutional, stating that she was appointed to the post of Prime Minister against Article 76 and 132 (2) of the Constitution.  

Similarly, the UML has sought annulment of the decisions of appointments, oath and all government actions and decisions made by the President. 

The CPN-UML has registered the party for the elections to the House of Representatives (HoR).

CPN-UML Central Election Department Chief Niraj Acharya and other leaders today reached the Election Commission and registered the party for the elections. 

EC Spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai shared that a total of 67 political parties have so far filed applications for party registration to participate in the HoR Member elections scheduled for March 5. 

The CPN-UML has already filed an application for party registration for the National Assembly elections slated for January 25.

CPN-UML has taken out a rally in Kathmandu on Friday before announcing the 'National Volunteer Force (NVF)'.

The rally, which started from Babarmahal bus stop, reached Karki Banquet in Babarmahal via Baneshwor and converged into an announcement assembly.

The march was led by UML leaders Mahesh Basnet, Ram Kumari Jhankri, Rajib Pahari, Youth Association Chairman Kshitij Thebe, and others.

While taking part in the rally, UML leader Basnet said he does not have any disagreement with Gen Z’s demands.

“We do not have any  disagreement with Gen Z’s demands. We are in constant touch with Gen Z,” he said adding, “But other elements are being active by showing their name and banners.”

The UML is set to announce the formation of the 'National Volunteer Force (NVF)' today to protect the party's policies and leadership.

UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli is scheduled to announce the force.

The National Youth Association Nepal, the youth organization of the CPN-UML, has decided to form a youth force covering every ward and province, and assigning the responsibility to vice-president of the association, Maharaj Gurung. 

According to the association’s spokesperson Niroj Paudyal, a campaign to this effect will be conducted in all seven provinces from Nov 13 to 26. 

The aim is to dispel misconceptions about the party’s policies and leadership throughout the country, further strengthening and uniting the party through the upcoming general convention, establishing the party’s core leadership and youth leadership and ensuring the safety of the public in view of the deteriorating security situation across the country, the association stated.

The CPN-UML  organized public demonstrations in all 753 municipalities of the country on Tuesday, demanding the reinstatement of the dissolved House of Representatives.

The UML has the program of holding rallies and corner assemblies in the presence of local leaders and activists in the municipalities.

According to Rajendra Gautam, head of the central publicity and publication department of the party, public rallies and demonstrations were organized at all municipal levels from the morning to defend the constitution and democracy.

Gautam said ward assemblies have already been completed in all 6,743 wards of the country on November 8, and that preparations are being made to hold district-level public demonstrations on November 15. 

Similarly, he said, a public demonstration would be organized in Kathmandu on November 22.

As Nepal moves toward the March 5 elections, tensions between Prime Minister Sushila Karki’s government and the main opposition, the Communist Party of Nepal–Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), have intensified. What began as a political disagreement has evolved into a full-blown confrontation, with the UML positioning itself as the principal challenger to Karki’s administration.

Nepal’s political landscape has remained volatile since the promulgation of the 2015 Constitution. The three major parties—the Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML, and CPN (Maoist Center)—have oscillated between alliances and rivalries, amid frequent changes of government.

Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal was among the first to claim credit for steering the country away from a constitutional crisis following the turmoil of Sept 8–9. He has since cast himself as both a key supporter and mediator in the formation of the Karki-led government, even declaring early on that elections would be held on March 5.

Over the recent weeks, relations between the UML and the government have deteriorated sharply. PM Karki has reportedly refused to meet top leaders of the major political parties, including Dahal, UML Chair KP Sharma Oli, and NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba. At a recent press conference, she allegedly remarked that she “does not want to see the faces” of the three senior leaders, suggesting they should retire and make way for younger politicians.

Her comment provoked strong reactions from both Oli and Dahal, though the latter continues to back the government. Maoist leaders have accused Oli of failing to adapt to changing political realities, while UML leaders have denounced the Karki administration as “unconstitutional.”

In contrast, the Nepali Congress has maintained a cautious stance—neither overtly supporting nor openly opposing the government—choosing to avoid the kind of direct confrontation pursued by the UML.

Two major issues have fueled the government-UML conflict. First, early in her tenure, Prime Minister Karki reportedly held consultations with security agency chiefs regarding the possible arrest of Oli for his alleged role in the deaths of 19 students during the Sept 8 protests. The move infuriated the UML.

Soon after, a probe committee led by Gauri Bahadur Karki—reportedly under government pressure, according to UML leaders—suspended Oli’s passport and restricted his movement outside the Kathmandu Valley. Oli has repeatedly complained that he has been prevented from visiting his burned-down house in Jhapa, allegedly destroyed by protesters.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal’s remarks against UML leaders have further deepened hostilities. UML politburo member Mahesh Basnet has emerged as a leading voice against the government, organizing rallies and public programs that the Home Ministry has condemned as provocative.

At the heart of the dispute lies a clash over the interpretation of the Sept 8–9 protests. The Karki government views the unrest as a “GenZ revolt,” a spontaneous youth uprising born of generational frustration. The UML, however, insists it was a politically motivated conspiracy designed to weaken the party and destabilize the country.

According to UML leaders, GenZ activists withdrew on the afternoon of Sept 8, and the subsequent violence on Sept 9 cannot be considered part of a youth movement. Oli has repeatedly dismissed the term GenZ as “a Western construct irrelevant to Nepal’s socio-political reality.”

The UML has rejected the legitimacy of the Karki government, accusing it of acting unconstitutionally. On Nov 9, Oli alleged that “those who set the country on fire” during the protests are the same individuals now in power. The party has since declared a nationwide protest campaign against what it calls a “repressive and illegitimate regime.”

As the government finalizes preparations for the March 5 elections, the UML is taking to the streets, setting the stage for a high-stakes confrontation. Meanwhile, the Karki administration continues to demand the restoration of Parliament, arguing that only a fresh constitutional mandate can resolve the crisis.

The 10th Central Committee meeting of the CPN-UML commenced today at the Rambagh Palace in Bhanimandal, Lalitpur.

This is the first Central Committee meeting following the Gen Z protests held on September 8–9, the subsequent formation of a new government, the announcement of parliamentary elections scheduled for March 5, 2026, and the dissolution of the House of Representatives.

Addressing the meeting, party Chair and former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli emphasized the need for party unity to foster democracy, peace, development, social justice, and prosperity. 

Oli is also scheduled to present his political report during the session.

Earlier, the party’s Central Secretariat meeting, held on October 12, had agreed to organize the party’s 11th National General Convention in the second week of December.

A committee has been formed to prepare a contemporary political report for the meeting. 

The committee includes Deputy General Secretaries Pradeep Gyawali, Standing Committee Member Rajendra Gautam, and the party’s Chief Whip in the dissolved parliament, Mahesh Bartaula.

During the meeting, Chair Oli administered the oath of office and secrecy to Dr Bijay Subba, who was elected Chair of the party’s Central Election Commission during the second Statute Convention held on September 7.

The CPN-UML Central Committee meeting has been postponed due to lack of preparations, said Dr Bhishma Adhikari, the party central office secretary.

Adhikari said the party Central Committee meeting will now take place from October 15 to 17 in Kathmandu. Earlier, the meeting was scheduled for October 13 to 15.

The UML central office in Chyasal, Lalitpur has been set on fire and vandalized during the Gen- Z movement.

Today's party secretariat meeting will decide the agenda for the Central Committee meeting, it is stated.

The 58th secretariat meeting of the CPN-UML is taking place at party chair KP Sharma Oli's residence in Gundu at 11 am today.

According to secretary of the UML central office, Bhishma Adhikari, the meeting will discuss the agenda of the upcoming central committee meeting, as well as contemporary political affairs.

The Central committee meeting is scheduled to take place on October 13-15.