CPN-UML Expands Outreach as Oli Briefs Provincial Leaders

CPN (UML) Chairman KP Sharma Oli conducted a virtual briefing for party leaders and provincial secretariat members across four provinces on Tuesday, initiating an internal campaign to cascade recent central committee directives down to local committees.

According to reporting by Nagarik News, Oli engaged party functionaries representing Koshi, Madhesh, Bagmati, and the capital province during a video conference held at 1:00 p.m. Neeraj Acharya, chief of the UML Publicity and Publication Department, confirmed the address and stated that the party chairman will convene a second virtual session on Wednesday for leaders across Gandaki, Lumbini, Karnali, and Sudurpashchim provinces.

The coordinated provincial outreach comes on the heels of decisions made by the UML secretariat at the party's central headquarters in Chyasal on Thursday, Deshsanchar reported. The party decided to formally transmit Oli's latest political report—presented during the third central committee meeting—to grassroots party tiers. Following that meeting, UML Deputy General Secretary Lekhraj Bhatta stated that the secretariat found the political report had strengthened unity across the ranks, adding that the leadership intends to ensure ideological clarity and uniform implementation from central departments to local wards.

Bhatta also told Deshsanchar that the secretariat reviewed potential appointments across several party departments, including slots intended for newly admitted figures and returning members. Those departmental nominations await final endorsement from the central committee before they are made public.

Alongside the nationwide organizational drive, the party leadership is moving to formalize the political comeback of former President Bidya Devi Bhandari. Deshsanchar reported that the ongoing central committee session is preparing to induct Bhandari into the leadership structure as a senior leader. UML leader Binod Dhakal confirmed that the secretariat decided to recommend her for the senior leader post, with her appointment pending central committee approval.

Bhandari previously served as UML vice-chair before resigning from executive politics upon her election as Nepal's head of state in 2015. After completing two presidential terms, she sought to resume organizational activities last year. However, her return stalled after she signaled an intention to contest the party chairmanship against Oli at the eleventh general convention, leading the party leadership to hold her membership in reserve. The proposed appointment as senior leader removes the procedural block on her status and marks an effort toward broader accommodation within the ruling party establishment.