Former President Bidya Devi Bhandari has written an open letter to delegates of the CPN-UML’s statute convention, urging them to correct the party’s decision not to renew her party membership.

Describing it as a principled effort rather than personal grievance, she appealed for an environment that strengthens intra-party unity and democratic practices.

Bhandari said the dispute over her membership was tied to the UML’s values and principle, warning that weakening internal democratic norms would erode public trust.

“This letter is not for my self-defence but to promote better practice in our party,” she wrote, stressing that her long service to the nation and the party should not be reduced to a personal contest.

Her supporters distributed copies of the letter outside the convention venue in Godavari, where she had not been invited. Bhandari couldn’t participate in the event as even her membership was not renewed let alone selecting her as a convention delegate.

In her message, Bhandari reminded delegates of her formal renewal of membership through the party’s organisation department and her public announcement during a public event in June.

She argued that sidelining her membership renewal contradicted both the party’s democratic commitments and Nepal’s constitutional guarantees of political rights.

“If procedure, rules and democratic practices are weakened in the party, it will harm not just individuals but the organisation as a whole,” she cautioned.

UML chair and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, addressing the inaugural session of the convention in Godavari on Friday, dismissed the controversy, saying the matter had been unnecessarily inflated.

He clarified that the statute convention would focus solely on issues related to party statutes, while membership disputes would be handled in the appropriate committees.

“Such questions are not part of this forum. They belong to the standing committee or the central committee,” Oli said. He insisted that the agenda for the statute convention would remain confined to political and organisational reports and proposals presented there.

The dispute, however, continues to divide senior leaders.

On Thursday, UML Senior Vice-chair Ishwar Pokhrel registered a note of dissent at the party’s central secretariat meeting, calling the suspension of Bhandari’s membership ‘wrong’ and demanding the decision be reversed.

He argued that the move was neither discussed in the central committee nor consistent with the party’s statute, and warned it would foster unhealthy tendencies and arbitrariness.

Pokhrel further cited Nepal’s constitutional and legal provisions guaranteeing political rights, saying no citizen should be barred from party activity. He recalled that Bhandari had openly represented the UML during a visit to China last year at the party’s request, proving her organisational role remained valid.

“Her continued association does not harm Nepal, democracy or the party. Rather, obstructing it undermines our democratic practice,” he said.