KATHMANDU: The CPN (UML) has decided not to participate in the general election scheduled for March 5, 2026. The three-day UML Central Committee meeting, which started on Wednesday, stated that only the re-establishment of the House of Representatives (HoR) can put the country back on the path of democracy.

‘This meeting of the Central Committee demands that the House of Representatives, which was unconstitutionally and undemocratically dissolved, should be re-established, and it clearly holds the view that only that can return the country to the path of democracy,’ the meeting’s decision stated.

The UML has accused the government of failing to create an environment for the election. It has been stated that a huge vacuum will be created in the country if the election does not take place and the House of Representatives is not re-established. ‘The current situation where the election cannot be held and the House of Representatives is also not in existence will create a dreadful state of political vacuum and instability,’ is the UML’s conclusion.

While exiting the meeting, UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli told journalists that the UML will not participate in an election that will not happen. When Chairman Oli stated in the meeting that the UML would not participate in the election, leaders including Vice-Chairpersons Yubaraj Gyawali and Astalaxmi Shakya protested against it.

The meeting concluded that the government, which received a mandate for the election, is trying to spoil the situation. ‘The current government, which has received the mandate for the election, does not seem intent on creating an environment for the election, but rather on prolonging the unelected government. It is not even willing to make contact, let alone dialogue, consultation, and cooperation with the parties as the main stakeholders of the election. Instead, it is moving towards the path of prohibition and confrontation,’ the UML said.

The interim government formed under the leadership of former Chief Justice Sushila Karki after the Gen Z movement on September 8 and 9 has announced that it will hold elections on March 5, 2026.

The UML has stated that the government is imposing location restrictions on leaders, canceling passports, banning peaceful programs, and assassinating characters through media trials. Passport cancellation and location restrictions have been imposed on UML Chairman Oli, along with the then Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, the head of the National Investigation Department, and the chief of the Kathmandu District Administration. The passport of the Home Secretary has been canceled.

Oli gets political immunity

The UML Central Committee has exempted the then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli from accountability for the incidents that occurred during the Gen Z movement. The UML’s conclusion, as per the 22-point proposal passed by the meeting, is that the incident on September 8 was not just a normal security lapse. ‘The party’s conclusion is that the situation created where unarmed youths were killed through infiltration and instigation within the peaceful demonstration organized by the new youth is not just a normal security lapse,’ the proposal passed by the UML states, ‘Facts confirm that there was a planned preparation to ignite the country on September 9 by causing some tragic incident on September 8.’

The UML has demanded an independent, impartial, and serious investigation into the incident, that all facts be brought out, and that the culprits be punished.

A press statement issued by UML’s head of the publicity department, Rajendra Gautam, mentions that Chairman Oli’s views in his report were unanimously passed with suggestions.

Tenth Central Committee meeting of the CPN (UML). Photo: Bikram Rai/Nepal News

In the political report presented by Chairman Oli at the meeting, he called the movements on September 8 and 9 a product of internal and external conspiracy. ‘The internal and external conspiracy against the system of Federal Democratic Republic and the constitution manifested itself as a horrific and tragic attack on September 8 and 9,’ the report stated.

Chairman Oli said on Friday that the change brought by Gen Z protests was not positive but negative, and that it was a counter-revolution. Oli, stating that he does not disagree with the Gen Z movement on the issues of free operation of social media, corruption control, and good governance, alleged in the report that there was infiltration on that day and that work was done to spoil the situation.

The Gen Z protests had ousted Oli from power. Oli resigned from his post after protesters surrounded the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar. The army took him to a safe location in a helicopter. Chairman Oli, who appeared in public 10 days after the army’s security cordon, has been calling the protest a conspiracy and avoiding taking responsibility for them.

Some central committee members at the meeting held the view that the then Prime Minister Oli should be accountable for the casualties and destruction that occurred on September 8. Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai said at the meeting that since the party leadership was being led by Chairman Oli during the movement, he should apologize for the damage. ‘Here we should not forget one fact: the CPN (UML) was leading the government. Our Chairman Comrade was the Prime Minister,’ Bhattarai said at the meeting, ‘The responsibility for the defense and security of what happened was ours. Why couldn’t we? But we couldn’t. Taking responsibility for this, we must apologize to the people.’ Bhattarai also held the view that even if Chairman Oli is not removed as acting head now, he should not come into leadership after the general convention.

Tenth Central Committee meeting of the CPN (UML). Photo: Bikram Rai/Nepal News

At the meeting, Central Committee Member Arvind Singh said that a massacre took place on September 8 and that the party leadership and the state leadership were responsible for it. ‘We will not get lifelong exemption from the accusation of the massacre that took place on September 8 on the basis of superficial analysis when the party power and state power were in our hands,’ Singh said, targeting Chairman Oli.

Similarly, leaders including Thakur Gaire, Nabina Lama, Yubaraj Baskota, Tulasa Dahal, Ganesh Pahadi, Ushakiran Timsena, Rachana Khadka, Surendra Manandhar, and Rabin Koirala said that the Chairman should resign in the changed circumstances.

Earlier, officials had also demanded Oli step down from the post of chairman in the secretariat meeting.

Responding to the questions raised in the meeting, Oli said that his responsibility was not yet complete and that he would not resign.

‘Some friends have asked for my resignation. I have carried a small piece of the movement for 55 years. I have a responsibility on my shoulders. I will not leave until it is complete,’ Oli said in the meeting, ‘Let’s discuss my resignation at the general convention, we’ll ask for a verdict from the representatives.’

The UML has decided to hold its 11th General Convention in Pokhara from December 13 to 15.

Earlier, starting the meeting, Oli had warned that he would not resign just because someone demanded it on Facebook and challenged them to muster a majority in the Central Committee.

After Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, a partner in the then government, handed over responsibility, Oli also faced pressure to leave the leadership.