Oli Tightens Control of UML as Loyalists Dominate Office-Bearer Races

KP Sharma Oli was re-elected chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) for a third term on Thursday, December 18.

Oli consolidated his hold over one of the country’s largest parties at its 11th General Convention, defeating Ishwar Pokhrel, a former senior vice-chair, by a margin of more than 1,000 votes.

According to the party’s Central Election Commission, 2,227 convention representatives cast their votes over the previous day and overnight. Of them, 1,663 voted for Oli, while 564 supported Pokhrel.

Oli was first elected party chairman at the UML’s ninth general convention in Kathmandu in 2014. He was re-elected at the 10th convention in Sauraha in 2021.

The post of senior vice-chair, previously held by Pokhrel, was abolished three months ago during a statute convention. The position was not reinstated when the party endorsed amendments to its statute at a Central Committee meeting on Sunday, December 15.

The meeting, however, increased the number of office-bearers to 19 from 15, reversing a three-month-old decision to downsize the leadership.

Shankar Pokhrel, a close ally of Oli and former chief minister of Lumbini Province, was re-elected general secretary. He secured 1,228 votes, defeating Surendra Pandey, backed by Pokhrel’s panel, who received 999 votes.

Four leaders from Oli’s panel — Bishnu Paudel, Ram Bahadur Thapa, Prithvi Subba Gurung and Raghuji Pant — were elected vice-chairs. Gokarna Bista was the only candidate from Pokhrel’s faction to win one of the five vice-chair positions.

All nine secretary posts were won by candidates aligned with Oli.

Mahesh Basnet secured the highest number of votes, 1,544, to become a secretary. He has long backed Oli and emerged as one of his strongest supporters following Oli’s ouster as prime minister during the Gen Z protests.

Padma Kumari Aryal, Chhabilal Bishwakarma, Sherdhan Rai, Hikmat Kumar Karki, Khagraj Adhikari, Yamlal Kandel, Rajan Bhattarai and Bhanubhakta Dhakal were also elected secretaries. Kandel’s election marked the first time the UML has had an office-bearer from Karnali Province.

Three leaders were elected deputy general secretaries. Lekhraj Bhatta and Raghubir Mahaseth were elected from Oli’s panel, while Yogesh Bhattarai won from Pokhrel’s camp.

Among the office-bearers, only two candidates from Oli’s camp suffered defeats. Bishnu Rimal, regarded as a close confidant of Oli and a long-time member of his core team, lost both the deputy general secretary race and his bid for Central Committee membership. Guru Baral was unsuccessful in his bid for vice-chair.