KP Sharma Oli has his feet in two boats. The party he leads, CPN-UML, has declared Oli its prime ministerial candidate but has also moved the court against the interim government’s recommendation to the President to dissolve the House of Representatives.

Moreover, the declared March 5 elections are fast approaching. The Election Commission has completed almost all logistical preparations for the vote. Political leaders and candidates have switched on the campaign mode, fully engaging in publicity, both physically and digitally. Out of the 165 electoral constituencies, the UML is contesting 163 directly elected House seats.

A central committee meeting of the CPN on Wednesday formally endorsed Chairman Oli as the party’s prime ministerial candidate, subject to his election from Jhapa-5 and the UML mustering enough seats to get a House majority.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Vice-chairman Ram Bahadur Thapa confirmed the party’s decision. Thapa said the decision was driven by “the need to protect the country and to revive patriotic and democratic forces”.

But the UML still hopes the Supreme Court will reinstate the House, aborting the parliamentary election process. The party that led the coalition government with the Nepali Congress until the September revolt overthrew the Oli administration thus has a half-hearted approach to the March vote.

In the wake of the September 8–9 Gen Z uprising, President Ramchandra Paudel on September 12 dissolved the House on the recommendation of Prime Minister Sushila Karki-led Cabinet and announced fresh elections.

Having faced some controversy in picking its candidates, the UML is now focusing on the elections, sending its candidates out to the field. Voices in the party that the Supreme Court should initiate hearings for restoring the House, however, haven’t died down.

The matter was discussed at Wednesday’s central committee meeting too. The party is also exploring some sort of collaboration with the Nepali Communist Party led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal on the election. Earlier, the party decided to back Janardan Sharma of the Pragatisheel Loktantrik Party in Rukum West.

Another UML concern is the security situation. An environment where people can vote freely and without fear has still not been created, the UML’s publicity division said in a statement on Wednesday. “The party is clear that periodic elections are the backbone of a democratic system.”

Therefore, it is the primary responsibility of the government to create an environment in which every Nepali citizen can cast their vote freely and fearlessly, read the UML statement further. “However, to this day, the government has not been able to create a reliable and trustworthy environment, nor does it appear to have taken this matter seriously.”

So, on one hand the party is questioning the validity of the elections; on the other, they are also exploring the possibility of electoral tie-ups.

An aide to Prime Minister Karki told the Post that Oli’s calculated move is a matter of concern and interest to them. With the polls just a month away, excitement about the elections and the party’s hesitation leave observers confused, he told the Post. Some senior leaders of the Congress, the UML and the Nepali Communist Party have put pressure on the Supreme Court to start hearing the case against House dissolution, the PM’s aide shared.

Congress members of the dissolved House have also knocked on the court’s door seeking a revival of their terms.

As the electoral momentum seems to be building in favour of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, UML leaders are worried about a possible rout. Their oft-heard call for broader unity among communist forces stems from this fear. But a UML leader, who asked not to be named, said the party’s electoral ground is nearly not as shaky as projected in some sections of the media.

UML Vice-chairman Thapa, after the meeting on Wednesday, demanded that the Supreme Court deliver a verdict on House dissolution pronto.

UML Secretary Mahesh Basnet, who is running for the Bhaktapur-2 House seat, claimed on Wednesday that the party will win 10 out of the 15 constituencies in Kathmandu Valley, which comprises Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts.

Basnet ruled out the possibility of electoral cooperation with any other political party at the moment but said restoration of the dissolved House is their preference. He also dismissed reports that party chair Oli had held discussions with leaders of other parties for electoral cooperation.

UML leader Rajan Bhattarai, who is contesting from Kathmandu–4, also made it clear that his party will contest the election on its own strength. On Wednesday, the party gathered its 15 candidates from the three districts of the Valley.

In another event on Wednesday organised by Press Chautari, a forum of journalists close to the UML, Thapa reiterated the demand for House restoration. On the other hand, he also said discussions continued with various parties on possible electoral cooperation.

“Top leaders of responsible parties remain in continuous dialogue. That alone does not mean electoral cooperation is being planned,” Basnet said.

Basnet alleged that the court had been sitting on the writ petition “out of the fear of having to rule in favour of House reinstatement”. He said the court cannot evade its responsibility. Basnet claimed that judges were absent “on the pretext of illness” and had even been turning off their phones.

Bhattarai said the UML’s position remains that if Parliament is restored, the constitution and democracy could return to a normal course.

Thapa stressed the need for unity among nationalist forces against “those pushing the country towards instability”. He said there still was the possibility of alignment between like-minded forces in some constituencies.

Suggesting the involvement of non-political and external forces in the upcoming elections, UML central committee member Bishnu Rijal said the decision to dissolve the House was backed by the Nepali Army, while external forces such as India, China, the United States and the European Union support the current election process. “Therefore, I do not see any chance of the House of Representatives being reinstated.”

The UML may be employing a pressure tactic to ensure timely elections, Rijal added. The UML, among other parties, has yet to publish its election manifesto.