Nepal's former PM Oli secures third consecutive term as party chair

Kathmandu, Dec 18 Despite being ousted as Prime Minister in September, Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) Chair K P Sharma Oli secured a third consecutive term as the party’s chairperson at its 11th general convention.

The general convention, held in Kathmandu this week, elected him to the post, allowing him to continue leading the second-largest party in the recently dissolved House of Representatives, the lower house of Parliament.

He secured 1,663 votes out of the 2,227 votes cast to defeat his rival, outgoing General Secretary Ishwor Pokharel, who secured 564 votes, according to the party’s Central Election Commission.

Oli was first elected as party’s chairperson in the 9th general convention in 2014 and was reelected for the same post in 10th general convention in 2021 and has now secured a third term as party chairperson.

Oli is authorised to lead the party for five years. Vocal backing by former President Bidya Devi Bhandari for Pokharel could not prevent his defeat at the hands of Oli.

Bhandari, who had her own ambition to return to her old party — the UML — and lead it, was thwarted by Oli, who refused to entertain her membership in the party. Since then, she had strongly backed Oli's rival, Pokharel, for the chairmanship.

Pokharel, who belonged to the camp led by former Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal during the party’s eighth general convention in 2009, joined Oli’s camp during the ninth general convention held in 2014. This was the first time in more than a decade that Pokharel challenged Oli for the party’s top post.

During the 10th general convention held in 2021, Pokharel had supported Oli against Bhim Rawal, who had challenged Oli for the chairmanship. In fact, Oli was rubber-stamped to the post as he had complete control over the party after the UML split in 2021, with one faction led by former UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal forming a separate political party—the CPN (Unified Socialist).

Since the 10th general convention, Oli has further strengthened his grip on the UML by forcing the exit of several leaders, including Rawal, who were among his fiercest critics within the party.

The Gen-Z movement in September, which ousted the Oli-led government, was a major setback that prompted some UML leaders and cadres to question his leadership. However, his latest victory in the party’s top position suggests continued loyalty among party cadres to his leadership.

Oli would not have been able to contest the party leadership elections had the party statute not been amended a few months ago.

The statute convention held in September removed the two-term limit and the 70-year age ceiling for holding executive posts at the behest of the septuagenarian Oli, who is now 73.

The UML’s eighth general convention in 2009 first introduced the provision of a two-term limit for leadership positions, while the ninth convention organised in Kathmandu in 2014 set an age limit of 70 years. However, a secretariat meeting in June 2023 suspended the age limit.

Subsequently, the statute convention of the party held in September this year removed both the age and term limits, paving the way for Oli to contest the election for the top position and secure a hat-trick of victories. Not only Oli, but most of his loyalists also secured wins to key positions within the party.

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