Former President Bidya Devi Bhandari and UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli have taken the initiative to improve their mutual relations. After the UML suffered a setback in the February 21 House of Representatives elections, they have initiated dialogue to strengthen the party.

Bhandari had reached Gundu, Bhaktapur on April 28 to meet Oli, who is recovering from a kidney stone surgery. At that time, the two leaders discussed political issues for about 2 hours.

Bhandari's close leader and former UML Vice President Ishwor Pokharel said that there was no need to increase the distance, stating that the two leaders had discussed political issues. 'I have received information that the two leaders had discussed political issues,' he said, 'There is no need to increase the distance between the leaders.' He said that at that time, Bhandari's membership was kept 'pending' and a 'non-political dispute' was raised.

UML had made Bhandari the chief guest at a program organized on Sunday to commemorate the 33rd memorial day of former General Secretary Madan Bhandari and leader Jibaraj Ashrit. UML Central Office Chief Secretary Bhishma Adhikari had gone to Bhandari's residence to invite her to be the chief guest at the program held in memory of 'Madan-Ashrit'. He had invited her to be the chief guest because she was 'requested by President Oli'.

As the chief guest at the program organized on Sunday, Bhandari expressed her views on unity and relations with the people. UML leaders have said that they feel that it would not make a difference to make Bhandari active in party politics after the election. 'After Vidya Bhandari renewed her membership and prepared to become the party president, KP Oli was trying to stop her. He has already become the chairman for the third term in 2002,' the leader said, 'Oli has come to the conclusion that he should not increase the distance with Vidya now.'

UML Deputy General Secretary Lekhraj Bhatta said that former President Bhandari showed his activeness by being the chief guest at the party program.

Bhandari's personal secretary Rajkumar Rai said that the party's chief guest at the 'Madan Ashrit' memorial program is a positive thing for the party. 'Giving the former president an environment to be active in the party with respect is a positive thing,' he said, 'this will create an environment that will yield good results in the coming days.'

UML Vice Presidents Bishnu Poudel, Gokarna Bista, Deputy General Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai and other leaders have been saying that the leadership should be restructured due to the election results. Efforts to improve relations between Oli and Bhandari have begun.

The distance between Bhandari and Chairman KP Sharma Oli had increased after the UML put her party membership on 'pending' a year ago. Bhandari had announced that she would enter active politics last year, stating that she had been associated with the UML for 45 years. Oli was shocked when she said that she was active in the UML to take over the party leadership. Then, the central committee meeting in Shrawan last year decided to keep Bhandari's membership on 'pending'. The controversy increased after Bhandari's membership was put on 'suspension'.

Former senior vice president Ishwor Pokharel, vice president Surendra Pandey, Yuraj Gyawali, Ashtalakshmi Shakya and other leaders had different opinions on the suspension of Bhandari's membership.

Bhandari, who renewed her membership last year, had announced that she would enter active politics with the aim of taking over the party leadership on 'Madan Jayanti' on 14 Asad. A controversy erupted in the UML after the Central Committee held a meeting on 5 and 6 Shrawan and kept Bhandari's membership 'pending'.

On 8 Shrawan, Bhandari expressed her dissatisfaction by holding a press conference saying that her membership could not be revoked as she had already renewed it. A year earlier, Bhandari had renewed her membership at the Central Office in Chyasal, but the Central Committee had not recognized it.

Last year, the Central Committee held a meeting on 5 and 6 Shrawan and concluded that former President Bhandari should not return to active politics. It was decided that the decision to return to party politics was not in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution, as the role of the President is highly respected, dignified and of historical importance, and since he is completely free from party affiliation, his decision to return to party politics was not in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution.

UML invited Bhandari as the chief guest on Madan's 33rd memorial day. This is the first time that UML has invited him as the chief guest since his membership was kept 'pending' in 082 Shrawan.

Bhandari had expressed her views on UML reforms in her capacity as a leader at the program. At the program held at the place where the statues of former General Secretary Madan and Ashrit were kept, she expressed her views on the work to be done for UML reforms.

‘I express my belief that the memory of Madan Bhandari and skilled organizer Jivraj Ashrit will always live with respect in Nepali politics, democratic movement and national consciousness. Madan and Ashrit have not only raised the Nepali communist movement at an organizational level, but also with ideological clarity. Politics is a matter connected to the lives of the people and should be guided by the people's faith,' she said. ‘The multi-party democracy of the people adopted by the Communist Party of Nepal (UML) as a guiding principle, which we proudly remember today, is a fundamental political idea based on the reality of Nepali society.’

Bhandari says that questions have arisen with the achievements of ‘Jabaj’. ‘Along with the achievements of the past, we also need to be serious about the challenges of the present. Sometimes, questions arise in society due to the imbalance between theory and practice,' she said in Madannagar, 'People's trust is the greatest strength of any political force. If the distance between the party and the people increases, the essence of the political movement weakens.'

Former President Bhandari has said that leaders should introspect and build internal unity to instill public trust. 'Now, the party should put into practice people-oriented working style, self-discipline and service spirit to further strengthen public trust,' she suggests, 'Workers should reach out to the people, participate in the joys and sorrows of the people and be active in building a positive political culture in society.'

Bhandari and Oli had a discussion in Gundu on 28 Baisakh. The dispute between the two leaders increased after Bhandari's membership was put on 'pending' in Shrawan last year. After the Gundu meeting, the UML formally invited her to Balkhu as the chief guest. At the Madan Ashrit Memorial Program, Bhandari addressed in her capacity as a leader, saying, 'Let us all move forward unitedly to achieve the goals of democracy, national unity, good governance and a prosperous Nepal by imbibing the core essence of the people's multi-party democracy.'

UML Chairman Oli did not participate in the program. However, he expressed his opinion on social media, saying, 'People's multi-party democracy is not a tool to gain popularity for a season, but an idea that stands on the ground of reality.'

'Madan Bhandari-Jeevraj Ashrit, and many leaders and warriors born from this movement are not physically with us today.' However, ideas and contributions are like a beacon in our political journey. The people's multi-party democracy is not a tool to gain popularity for a season, it is an idea that stands on the ground of reality,' Oli said on social media, 'When I remember Madan, I feel not only the pain of losing a leader or friend, but also the loss of an epoch-making fellow warrior. The ideological legacy of the people's multi-party democracy continues to inspire us to move forward continuously, to stand by the people without being distracted, and not to let the journey of change be incomplete.'

Bhandari's past

Bhandari, the wife of the then UML General Secretary Madan Bhandari, entered active politics after his death in an accident on 30 June 2050 while going from Pokhara to Chitwan. When UML was in a minority, Oli was active through the 'Madan Bhandari Foundation'.

Although he has had strong support from Chairman Oli since he became active in politics, the bitterness has been increasing recently. Bhandari was the first President from 2017 Kartik 12 to 2017 Falgun 29 and the second time from 2017 Falgun 30 to 2017 Falgun 29.

She was elected as the first Central Committee member from the Sixth National General Convention held in Magh 2054 BS, again as a Central Committee member from the Seventh General Convention in 2059 BS, and as the Central Vice-Chairman from the Eighth General Convention in 2065 BS. The Ninth General Convention in 2071 BS re-elected her as Vice-Chairman and Standing Committee member.

Bhandari was elected from Kathmandu Constituency No. 1 in the 2050 BS by-election held for the vacant House of Representatives seat after the death of the then UML General Secretary Madan Bhandari. She was elected three times consecutively from other constituencies in Kathmandu, including the 2051 BS mid-term elections and the 2056 BS election for members of the House of Representatives.

She became the Minister of Environment and Population in 2054 BS and the Minister of Defense in 2066 BS. She worked under the leadership of students, women's associations, and GEFONT.

Oli is active again

Released after being detained on charges of being responsible for the human losses caused by the Gen-G movement, Oli has become active again after recovering from a stone surgery.