In the 90s, the events of the collapse of the communist regime in Russia and Germany were made the main topic of speech by the advocates of democracy and open society. It was believed that the place where the communist leaders fell, the message of democracy went to the world.
Even in Nepal, after the change of 2046, especially those who identified themselves as democrats (mainly the Nepali Congress) used to criticize EML saying that the communist stronghold in the world is collapsing. Especially in Leylin's homeland, the discussion of his death was happening all over the world.
Nepal Communist Party (unified Marxist-Lelinist) had a good influence in Nepal at that time. 69 seats were won in the parliament and the organization was expanded rapidly.
Understanding the wave of democracy, the then General Secretary of UML, Madan Kumar Bhandari, established the Communist Party as an organization to compete in a multi-party system. He was trying to establish the belief that the Communist Party can also reach power through party competition.
With the unstoppable concept of democracy and open society, he prepared the theoretical ground to take UML to the path of multi-party democracy . The Soviet Union, which is known as a country of communist rule in the world, was divided. Communist rule was over. Its message made it difficult for the Communist Party of the world. Understanding this, Madan Bhandari decided to move the party on the principle of multi-party democracy.
In this background, a three-day international seminar was organized in West Bengal, India, on the occasion of the 175th birth anniversary of Karl Marx. In a program organized by the Marxist Communist Party of West Bengal, UML General Secretary Bhandari from Nepal submitted a working paper on the relevance of Marxism in the world environment on behalf of Nepal. In the program, he explained Marxism through multi-party democracy of multi-party people.
21 parties from 19 countries were represented in the event. Communist countries Russia and China did not participate. The Communist Party of India (Marxist-Lelinist) was not present at the seminar which took place after the end of the communist regime in Eastern Europe and the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Vinod Mishra, the leader of the said party, criticized the seminar. Representatives of Vietnam, North Korea and Cuba explained socialism. Representatives of Vietnam and Cuba had different views on the Marxist concept presented in the seminar.
For 16 years, West Bengal was ruled by the Karxist Communist Party . Its leader was Jyoti Basu. The Chief Minister was run by him . In the past, comments were made in Nepal that the communist mentality of the Nepali Communist Party, which operated with Peking and Moscow as its ideal, reached Calcutta.
UML Politburo member Madhav Kumar went to West Bengal on 23 Baisakh 2050 to participate in the Bhandari seminar with Nepal . He called Russian President Boris Yeltsin a mafia while talking to media persons at Tribhuvan International Airport on his way back. He said, "Boris Yeltsin is a mafia, a murderer is coming from everywhere." He was elected as the President of Russia from 1990 to 1999.
The democrats saw Yeltsin as a leader who would lead Russia in the right direction and improve the political and economic situation in the transition period after the collapse of the communist regime. But the leaders of the Communist Party of the world did not consider him good. The more good he did, the more he was accused of helping to end Russian communism. Communist leaders see him as a cheat.
Based on this background, it was assumed that Bhandari called Yeltsin a mafia. Kantipur Dainik published news on 29 Baisakh 2050 based on the topics spoken by General Secretary Bhandari, based on the seminar held in India, interpretation of Marxism and world communist environment.
presentation: Rishiram Paudyal
![[Archive] Why did Madan Bhandari call the Russian president a mafia?](https://assets-cdn-api.ekantipur.com/thumb.php?src=https://assets-cdn.ekantipur.com/uploads/source/news/kantipur/2025/third-party/madan-2632025120423-1000x0.jpg&w=1001&h=0)