KARHMANDU: A nearly two-year-old remark by CPN-UML Chairperson and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on former President Bidya Devi Bhandari’s possible political engagement has gone viral on social media.
In an interview with journalist Rishi Dhamala broadcast on Prime TV and uploaded to the channel’s YouTube on September 23, 2023, Oli had dismissed the notion that former presidents should stay out of politics.
As of the time of this report, the interview has been viewed over 258,000 times. In the interview, Oli stated that whether a former president joins politics or not is entirely their personal choice.
“If someone wants to make a former president the president of Nepali Congress, that’s fine. If another party makes them its chairperson, that’s fine. If UML makes them chairperson, that’s also fine,” Oli had said.
He added that it was Bhandari’s own decision whether to return to politics: “It is her choice. Instead of remaining inactive just because she is a former president, she can engage in social or political activities in any way she chooses. Saying a former president cannot enter politics is nonsense.”
However, Oli’s position has since shifted. After Bhandari began showing involvement in UML’s internal politics, he declared that the former president represented the dignity of the republic and would not take part in active politics.
Later, on August 22, during a party entry program at UML headquarters in Chyasal, Oli accused Bhandari of tricking party office’s employees to renew her party membership. This has led to public criticism and mutual accusations between Oli and the former president.
