Following CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli’s decision to bar former President Bidya Devi Bhandari from rejoining the party, the disgruntled faction is planning to field senior vice-chair Ishwar Pokhrel against Oli in the upcoming general convention.

As the party gears up for its 11th general convention, to be held in Kathmandu on December 13-15, party insiders reveal that the rival group has made up their mind to support Pokhrel for the top job.

While Oli has the legal grounds to seek a third term, internal dynamics and shifting allegiances in the party indicate a likely competition between Oli and Pokhrel.

Oli, who until a few months ago appeared uncontested, has been under pressure mainly in the wake of September’s Gen Z uprising, which cost him the country’s premiership.

As head of the government at the time Oli was the main target during the youth-led anti-corruption movement on September 8 and 9 that saw 76 people killed.

On the first day of the protests, 19 unarmed demonstrators, mostly young students, were killed, and violent demonstrations spread across the country the following day. As the situation escalated, Oli was forced to flee the prime minister’s residence and was evacuated by an army helicopter.

However, as the movement gradually subsided, Oli began to sharply criticise the Gen Z protests.

The Gen Z movement raised questions about Oli’s political relevance, yet he is preparing to contest for the post of party chair at the UML’s 11th general convention. He secured legal grounds for his re-election through the party’s Second National Statute Convention, which concluded on September 7, a day before the Gen Z protests shook the country.

Earlier, there had been internal debate in the UML over whether to remove the age limit of 70 years and the two-term restriction for the leadership. However, the statute convention annulled both provisions, clearing the way for continued leadership, as he now serves his second term as party chief.

Similarly, former President Bidya Devi Bhandari, who had renewed her party membership and expressed interest in returning to the party’s fold, has had her membership revoked, apparently at Oli’s behest. Bhandari had resigned as UML vice-chair after being elected the country’s President in 2015.

Even before the Gen Z movement, questions were raised about Oli’s leadership, not only outside the party but also in it. However, no leader had openly challenged him. As a result, while there was some doubt about Oli’s reelection, the path ahead had seemed relatively smooth.

Now, UML leaders are uniting behind Senior Vice-chair Pokhrel as a potential candidate against Oli.

Second-rung UML leaders chose Pokhrel as a candidate for the party chair after Oli and his faction denied former President Bhandari party membership, despite her announcement to return to the party.

According to party insiders, Bhandari has expressed support for Pokhrel to replace Oli.

When Bhandari announced in June her plan to rejoin party politics, several UML leaders including Pokhrel had supported her. They aimed to use her return to challenge Oli’s leadership. However, the party’s central committee later decided that, on moral grounds, a former President could not be granted party membership, effectively barring Bhandari.

Now, the same group has decided to field Pokhrel against Oli in the general convention. Party insiders say that some leaders who were close to Oli are now siding with the rival group led by Bhandari and Pokhrel mainly after the Gen Z uprising.

“A change in the leadership has become imperative in order to rejuvenate the party in the changed political context,” said a UML Secretariat member.

According to the leader, the upcoming Secretariat meeting will hold an open discussion on leadership for the 11th general convention. The date for the meeting, however, is yet to be fixed. The leader added that Oli also appears positive about such discussions.

Of the UML’s 19 Secretariat members, Secretary Top Bahadur Rayamajhi has been suspended from the party as he remains in judicial custody in connection with the fake Bhutanese refugee scam.

Among the remaining 18 members, vice-chairs Yubaraj Gyawali, Asta Laxmi Shakya, Surendra Pandey, and Bishnu Paudel, along with secretaries Yogesh Bhattarai and Gokarna Bista, reportedly back Pokhrel.

According to the Secretariat member, intensive discussions are underway with other leaders to gather further support for Pokhrel.

“By the time the next Secretariat meeting takes place, we are confident that a clear majority within the Secretariat will be on our side,” the Secretariat member, who is close to Pokhrel, claimed.

The leader however, claimed that there have been no discussions on forming a panel of candidates for the general convention.

“At this stage, our focus is on securing a majority within the party’s Secretariat,” the leader said. “We have not yet decided which leaders from our side will contest which office bearers’ positions at the general convention.”

Senior Vice-chair Pokhrel did not deny the possibility of contesting for party chair in the upcoming convention. “The party now needs to be reorganised and reach out to the people with fresh faces and ideas,” Pokhrel said. For that, he claimed, he has been suggested by party members to stake claim for the leadership.

“Some of my colleagues are encouraging me to contest for the leadership,” Pokhrel told the Post. “I have yet to make a decision on the matter. But I have been having positive discussions with those who have given me such suggestions.”