In a development that could reshape the internal dynamics of the CPN-UML, Prime Minister and party chairman KP Sharma Oli had a discussion with former President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Sunday.

The meeting, held at the party headquarters in Chyasal for over 90 minutes, comes amid growing factional feud and controversy over Bhandari’s membership status and leadership ambitions. The UML Central Committee meets on Monday.

The two-day politburo meeting that concluded on Saturday had entrusted Oli with sorting issues out with the former President about her party membership and her role in the organisation.

UML insiders say the meeting was aimed at clearing the misunderstanding in the party due to Bhandari’s comeback, which apparently has divided the party’s leaders as well as cadres into two camps.

Unlike her earlier meetings with Oli, which were held at the prime minister’s residence in Baluwatar, Bhandari this time chose to visit the party head office.

According to UML leaders close to Bhandari, Prime Minister Oli had invited her to Baluwatar for the meeting, but she preferred the party office.

Earlier Bhandari met Prime Minister Oli twice, on June 17 and 27, before announcing on June 28 that she had rejoined the party.

When the duo held the one-on-one meeting at Oli’s chamber in the party office, several leaders including Senior Vice-chairman Ishwar Pokhrel, vice-chair Surendra Pandey, General Secretary Shankar Pokhrel, Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai, and Standing Committee member Karna Thapa were present in the same building.

The discussion comes at a time when internal debates around the party’s leadership, structure, and direction—especially regarding amendments to age and term limits—have created a rift within the party.

Bhandari’s political comeback presents a fresh challenge to Oli’s ambitions, as he eyes a third term.

On the eve of the central committee meeting, the outcome of Sunday’s dialogue between Oli and Bhandari is likely to set the tone for internal deliberations in the party.

After the meeting with Oli, Bhandari told the media that the renewal of her party membership has been over.

Bhandari also clarified that her discussion with Oli focused on current political affairs.

“I only discussed matters related to national politics with him,” Bhandari said. “I have already renewed my membership. The remaining process will go through official channels.”

She disclosed the renewal of her party membership also at the June 28 event where she announced her return to active politics in the party. However, speaking at the politburo meeting, Oli denied that her membership had been renewed.

While announcing the politburo’s decision, the party’s publicity department chief, Rajendra Gautam, also asserted that Bhandari’s membership had not been renewed. However, following her meeting with Oli on Sunday, Bhandari reiterated that there was no issue with her membership renewal.

The conflicting statements by the two leaders indicate that all is not well in the party.

However, senior vice-chair Pokhrel maintains that there is no issue within the party as it was portrayed outside.

Suggesting that there might have been an inappropriate use of words by the head of the publicity department, Pokhrel said Bhandari’s party membership had indeed been renewed. He clarified that this was conveyed on the very day she announced her return to active politics.

Pokharel said he was not aware of the exact details of the hour-and-a-half-long meeting between the two leaders.

“I cannot say for sure what they discussed,” Pokhrel told the Post. “But it must have been related to the mandate given to the party chair by the politburo meeting on Saturday.”

The secretariat offices of both Oli and Bhandari have also claimed to be unaware of the details of the conversation that took place between the two leaders.

Bhandari publicly says she has become active in the party with eyes on the party chair while Oli has already indicated his intention to seek a third term as party chair at the upcoming general convention.

There were efforts to introduce a policy in the party enforcing a 70-year age limit and a two-term cap—seen as a move to block Oli from contesting the party chair. But both Secretariat and Politburo meetings have already scrapped the proposal. The matter will now be discussed in the Central Committee.