After former President Bidya Devi Bhandari renewed the party's organized membership and increased political activism, explanations and debates about this have started from many angles. Some have interpreted his activism as a competitor of UML president KP Sharma Oli, while others have interpreted it as a new departure point for the exercise of left unity.

Regardless of speculation, former President Bhandari's recent activities and statements and the difficulties he caused to UMA President Oli are no longer a hidden issue. It remains to be seen what political turn the aspirations of UML leadership will take by Bhandari, who has been the president twice, and Oli, who has been the president for two terms.

While the questions and answers between UML president and Prime Minister Oli and Bhandari are making waves, the dialogue between these two leaders has also started. A two-hour meeting was held between the two leaders on Tuesday night at the Prime Minister's Residence, Baluwatar, regarding possible cooperation. Oli spoke after Bhandari's activism started creating two sides within the UML.

Earlier last December, there was a conversation between the two leaders at the residence of Bhandari in Budanilkanth. Oli's Chief Private Secretary Rajesh Bajracharya said that during the meeting that was held alone on Tuesday, there may have been a discussion on 'contemporary' issues. "In the meeting held only between the two leaders, contemporary issues may have been discussed," he said.

After Bhandari's political activism increased, the door of dialogue has opened between Oli and Bhandari for the upcoming 'cooperation'. Sources say that if the Bhandari Party wants to be active in politics, it can be done with consensus and cooperation. Oli believes that UML leaders have a hand in Bhandari's political activism. That's why he has started saying in public events that factionalism is increasing within the party .

Leaders who have been advising ex-president Bhandari to enter active politics have been lobbying to implement a 70-year age limit for party leaders or to have a provision not to serve more than two terms in executive positions. 

Senior Vice President Ishwar Pokharel, Vice Presidents Yuvraj Gyawali, Ashtalakshmi Shakya, Surendra Pandey and other officials are on its side. General Secretary Shankar Pokharel, Deputy General Secretary Pradeep Gyawali, Vishnu Rimal are in favor of not implementing both provisions saying that the need for thought and leadership is more important than tenure and age limit. Other officials are not open about this.

UML Senior Vice President Ishwar Pokharel said that except in special cases, the executive post should not be held for more than two terms. In some cases, there will be a special situation, that is a different matter," he said to Kantipur, "but in normal circumstances, more than twice being in the same post can cause many kinds of problems. This episode was also connected to the campaign of democratization of party life.

Deputy Secretary General Pradeep Gyawali said that it is not relevant to promote former President Bhandari as the future leadership. Right now, some friends are talking about this (promoting Bhandari as a leader) . This discussion is irrelevant,' he said, 'the date of the convention has not been fixed . Even now, the debate about who will lead and who won't will create confusion in the movement.

UML President Oli's work style is dominated by 'centrality' and some leaders are doing their homework to raise former president Bhandari in his competition. "I think that former President Bhandari is a suitable leader as a competitor of President Oli," said an official close to Bhandari, "Vidya Bhandari is mentally ready for this." Some political analysts say that Bhandari is the leader who will challenge Oli in the upcoming 11th Congress of the party.

Professor of Political Science Krishna Pokharel said that Bhandari is the leader who can challenge Oli . There is no leader in UML who can face Oli face to face. That power lies in Vidya Bhandari. One, he has the legacy of Madan Bhandari . Secondly, when he was the president, great national-international contact has been developed," he revealed another reason, "age has also helped Vidya. UML's Oli is in trouble because of him, he is a challenger to it.'

Not only within the country, but also abroad, Oli was shocked when he started expanding relations as a UML leader. She presented herself as a leader when she visited China in the second week of May.

On the other hand, Oli has started to publicly say that the attempt to activate Bhandari should be dismissed as factionalism. 

On May 25, at the national conference of All Nepal National Independent Students' Union, he pointed to Bhandari and said that he had formed a group to enter politics. 'Now there is a rumor . This group is called below, that group is called . So-and-so group, leave that group. The next match is about to happen here . Now so-and-so will come, so-and-so will come, so-and-so," he said, "there has been no discussion in the party, who is the general secretary, who is the president, who is the vice president, and now the convention has not been announced. There has been no discussion, and this is trying to weaken the party by spreading rumours.'

He has said that it is an attempt to break the state of mind of the party workers. Mentioning that Oli's statement was not aimed at her, Bhandari said that since she grew up in the UML, it is natural to be curious in the future. 

"I don't think that the honorable president of our UML has formed this opinion seeing Vidya Bhandari as a competitor". I joined the left-wing movement since I was a child," she said, "What will happen when Vidya Bhandari joins politics? There may be a question of where to go. From a party point of view, the party from which I grew up and reached this position, there was no reason to think differently. Being in an active party, the fact that I will be the president may have raised questions in the minds of other aspirants.'

She met with UML leaders and activists in Biratnagar and Oli's home district Jhapa. Former chief minister and UML standing committee member Sherdhan Rai and other leaders met and took suggestions.

Former President Bidya Devi Bhandari during her visit to Koshi Province 
'A person who has become the president of the country, a person who has worked for the party before taking an organized member . There is a lot of familiarity in the party, there is familiarity with the regions," she said in Biratnagar, "What are the country's thoughts and aspirations, what does the new generation want? In that sense, I don't need to take permission from UML's committee leaders to move around the country.' UML Vice President Yuvraj Gyawali said that although the age limit has been suspended, it is a matter of debate in the Legislative Assembly.

'I have reached 70 years . I will leave it. . Others of this age should also pave the way,' he said, 'it will be a subject of debate in the upcoming legislative convention.'

Senior Vice President Ishwar Pokharel, mentioning that Mukund Neupane, who came from Samajwadi Party to UML, has suspended the age limit for leaders, said that this has become a topic of debate. It was postponed due to practicality," he said. "O will now go to the legislative session for approval. That convention will decide whether to keep the age limit or not.'

But on May 25, Oli said that the 70-year age limit has failed at the national conference of the UNSWVU. 70 years of age came. 70 years age subject has failed . Now I'm running 74, I'm going to retire at 70, didn't fail? Shouldn't the age be reduced by 4 years?,' Oli said, 'Health does not support, functionality or not is the main thing.'

The UML secretariat meeting held in May 2080 removed the age limit of 70 years to be elected or nominated as the executive leadership of the party. In the 8th Congress of UML held in Butwal in 2065, it was stipulated that no one can be elected to the same executive position more than twice, while the 9th Congress held in Kathmandu in 2071 brought a provision of 70 years . In October 2078, the first legislative convention of UML in Godavari of Lalilatpur passed the age limit of 70 years.

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'It is not unusual for the former president to be interested in UML politics'

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Senior Vice President, Ishwar Pokharel 

UML is trying to revive the age limit of 70 years in the party? Our party has postponed the age limit of 70 years for now. The age limit has been clearly stated in the law passed in the 10th Congress and Legislative Congress, but in a practical way, it has been postponed immediately so as not to cause any inconvenience to friends from some socialists . What is the provision of the statute, the adjourned matter should also be presented to the legislative assembly for approval . If approved, the moratorium will be enforced, if not, the previous arrangement will not be enforced . Its legal interpretation is this .

President KP Oli brought this idea to the seventh congress, but it was not accepted at that time. Then a task force was formed, in which I was also . Based on the report given by that working group, the 8th Congress called for the democratization of party life, including multi-term structure, two-term limit and age limit. The leader who leads the democratization of party life is our president. The statute passed by the 10th Congress still mentions the age limit.

What do you think about age and term limits?

In general, there should not be a system of holding the executive post for more than two terms. In some cases, there will be a special situation, that is a different matter . But under normal circumstances, many kinds of problems can arise when Besi stays in the same position for more than two times. This episode was also linked to the campaign for democratization of party life.

President KP Oli wants to run for a third term again, isn't it? There is no need for

parties and special needs. Whether it is necessary or not, the Legislative Assembly discusses . What is the need of the country and the party? That decision is a matter to be discussed and decided by the representatives of the convention. 

The talk that former president Bidya Devi Bhandari is going to return to politics is stirring in UML, isn't it?

As I heard he has renewed his party membership . If he returns to the party, it is his personal decision. In any case, everything will be done through advice and consultation within the party. The former president has not officially said that he will join politics. What will he do now that he has already renewed his membership? His point is . The party president has said that it is done on the basis of consultation and consensus. There is no need to keep booking . Advice and consultation within the party. 

Ex-president Bhandari is appropriate to come into politics ?

I missed his interview . He grew up in this party . This party made him . Now how can I separate from this party? I don't think it's unfair. It is the party that made him the president of the party. Is it unusual for him to be interested in UML politics?

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'Now the discussion of former President Bhandari's leadership is irrelevant' 

- Pradeep Gyawali, Deputy General Secretary, UML

What is the conclusion of the debate about the age limit of 70 years in UML?

We will discuss this matter in the upcoming legislative convention. This is a technical topic . Not theoretical . The issue of what kind of leadership will be is something that the movement will build. It was applied in one case at that time . But the party dropped for friends who come together and until now, what kind of leadership will be formed is a matter to be determined by the legislative convention.

It is appropriate to wait until that date as there will be a debate on age limit and other issues in the Legislative Assembly in August. Now is not the time to discuss pros or cons. Again, the need for movement is the main question of building leadership. I think other subjects are technical . President KP Oli has publicly said that he is approaching 74, but the leadership of the party is based on ideas, politics and movement rather than age. 70-year-old age hall arrangement is not a theoretical question . There is no need to debate in the party at this time. What is the need of the movement is a matter of formulating other topics . It is wrong to say that those over 70 years of age cannot lead, and those below that age can lead . Because leadership is built on the basis of ideas, politics and movement. 

President Oli has led for two terms, some leaders are saying that he should retire now, right? There is no provision in the statute for the provision of two terms in the leadership of

 . Some leaders are discussing. We discussed in the legislative session. But the age limit of 70 years passed. There is no provision in the constitution to be in leadership for only two terms .

Former President Bhandari seems to be trying to come to the leadership of the party, isn't it?

It is already heard from some friends discussing this. This discussion is irrelevant . The date of the convention has not been fixed . There will be a debate in the upcoming convention on who will be led/not. Right now, the debate about who will lead and who won't will create confusion in the movement. When we are concentrating on the mission of the government and the party, we should not create confusion by talking about leadership now. There will be understanding and interest of friends in this . It has not been good . Arguing at the right time does the party good . Debating the leadership will have to wait for the upcoming convention.