Facing pressure to step down from the leadership following an unexpected defeat in the elections held on March 5, CPN (UML) Chairman KP Sharma Oli has surprised the UML circle by proposing the renewal of membership for former President Bidya Devi Bhandari.

The proposal he made during the office-bearers’ meeting held at Oli’s residence in Gundu, Bhaktapur on May 18 has also been approved.

“It was not expected at all that Chairman Oli would propose the renewal of Bidya Bhandari’s membership,” says a central committee member. “The Chairman must have taken the step of membership renewal to bring the party leaders into a balance.”

Lately, UML office-bearers have been publicly demanding Oli’s resignation, while youth members have been running a party transformation campaign.

Even Vice-Chairman Bishnu Prasad Paudel and General Secretary Shankar Pokharel, who are considered close confidants of Chairman Oli, have been raising their voices that the Chairman should step down by taking responsibility for the election defeat.

The member claimed that Oli used the ‘Bidya card’ to quiet down that very voice.

As a matter of fact, Bhandari, who is also a former Vice-Chairperson, shared a long-standing political proximity with Oli. She had played a significant role in making Oli the Chairman during the Ninth General Convention.

Similarly, Oli played a leading role in making Bhandari the President for two terms. When Oli was the Prime Minister, the then-President Bhandari was even accused of playing a role outside of her constitutional responsibilities.

A rift began in their relationship after Bhandari’s presidential tenure ended. Initially, Oli had been saying that the law does not bar a former President from returning to active politics, but his relationship with Bhandari soured after she claimed the party chairmanship.

Following that, the Central Committee meeting held on July 22, 2025, cancelled Bhandari’s membership, stating that it was not desirable for a former President to become active in politics again.

At that time, Oli argued that a person who has already been the Head of State becomes a common personality and a guardian of the nation, making it inappropriate to become a member or a leader-worker of any specific party. The UML had concluded that if a former President became active in the party again, it would be a wrong practice contrary to the spirit and essence of the Constitution.

At that time, UML had even made public a theoretical concept on why a former President should not enter politics. Without making any comments on that concept now, Oli has brought forward the proposal to renew Bhandari’s membership.

UML Central Committee Member Jhapat Rawal says that the Chairman was forced to renew Bhandari’s membership due to the shift in the balance of power seen in both the party and the country. He says, “This decision is welcome. It has also made it clear how autocratically party decisions were made previously.”

Following the renewal of Bhandari’s membership, a debate has begun within UML regarding a new balance of power, future leadership, and the style of running the party.

“The Chairman, who spoke so negatively to block Bhandari’s membership, showered immense praise on her during the meeting. However, how UML will move forward after Bhandari’s arrival is not clear yet,” a Secretariat member said.

“There is also no uniformity in understanding what exactly happened. Some say a new agreement has been reached between the two, while others say Oli brought Bhandari in just to avert the current crisis.”

Bhandari had reached Gundu on May 11 to meet Chairman Oli, who was resting at his residence after gallbladder and hernia surgeries. Having held a discussion with Oli for two hours, she had raised the issue regarding her membership. Oli had requested Bhandari to submit an application for membership.

Immediately after that, on May 17, Bhandari was made the chief guest at the Madan-Asprit Memorial Day organized by UML in Balkhu.

Bhandari’s personal secretary, Raj Kumar Rai, says that the former President is ready to take up any responsibility in the party. “The issue of party membership renewal has generated enthusiasm,” Rai says. “If the party and the workers feel the need, she is also ready to take up the responsibility and leadership of the party.”

He states that no agreement of any kind has been made with Oli for that.

Bhandari’s faction seems to expect that her responsibilities will be discussed in the next Secretariat meeting to be held on May 22. “The decision on membership renewal has introduced the topic. As a continuation of the May 18 meeting, a meeting is being held on May 22. We will form further opinions based on how the discussion progresses there,” says a leader close to Bhandari.

After the Ninth General Convention of UML held in Kathmandu in 2014, Bidya Devi Bhandari was seen as the successor to Chairman KP Sharma Oli. Bhandari, who served as Vice-Chairperson twice, played a role in making Oli the Chairman. Becoming the President less than a year and a half after the General Convention, Bhandari had deactivated her party membership following constitutional practice. Having stayed at the presidential palace, Sheetal Niwas, for nine years across two terms, Bhandari now wishes to return to active politics.