The already troubled relation between CPN-UML chair KP Sharma Oli, who is also the prime minister, and former President Bidya Devi Bhandari, also the former vice-chair of the communist party, has shown a sign of further escalation.

The recent party decision to bar Bhandari from rejoining the party has sent ripples through the party rank and file. The UML central committee meeting last month had rejected Bhandari’s attempt to rejoin the party even though she said she had already renewed her party membership.

Bhandari, however, kept herself active in politics and continued political campaigns through various forums including the Madan Bhandari Foundation, which was established after the death of her husband, Madan Bhandari, a key ideologue of the CPN-UML.

But on Monday, Oli criticised the Madan Bhandari Foundation, stirring a new debate saying that the Foundation was not constituted by the party but through individual initiatives.

“Madan Bhandari Foundation was not created by the party, but came into existence independently,” he said while addressing a function organised by Madan-Ashrit Memorial Foundation.

Both Madan and Jibraj Ashrit were killed in a road crash on May 16, 1993 in Dashdungha, Chitwan. The party launched weeks-long agitation terming the incident as a murder conspired by rival political forces.

“Madan Bhandari Foundation emerged on its own, in a different way—at a time when it was not possible even to commemorate Madan-Ashrit Memorial Day,” Oli added. Usha Kiran, a daughter of Madan and Bidya, currently heads the Madan Bhandari Foundation.

“At that time, it was difficult even to commemorate a memorial day, or mark birthdays. If someone’s birthday was approaching, distorted and degrading articles used to be written and published by the leadership,” Oli went on. “Due to this kind of toxic and divisive political situation, there was a need to establish an institution, and thus, the Madan Memorial Foundation was born.”

Oli who had never criticised the Madan Bhandari Foundation in the past has described it in a different note as his decades-long close relations with Bidya Bhandari sours of late.

He further said that now it remains to be seen how the Madan Bhandari Foundation proceeds. “Now, we have to see what will happen in the coming days. We are in a situation where we have to observe how things will go forward. Looking at the statements of its officials and presentations from platforms, things are not looking good.”

He mentioned that institutions like Pushpa Lal Memorial Foundation and Manmohan Memorial Foundation were established by the party.

“The Pushpa Lal Foundation was created by the party. The Manmohan Foundation was also established by the party. Various other foundations too have been created by us—by the party. Some are created by parties, but some belong to individuals,” said Oli.

He also shared that some foundations initially created by the party had ended up becoming personal and are used as the property of individuals.

“Our institutions must be collective and any foundation should not be used in a way that harms the party,” he said.