Nepal’s Left Leaders Reunite Amid Fresh Alliance Speculation
Four former prime ministers from Nepal’s communist movement shared a stage in Kathmandu on Sunday, reigniting speculation over greater cooperation among the country’s leftist parties. The occasion was a symposium marking the 75th birth anniversary of late communist leader Madan Bhandari, organised by the Madan Bhandari Foundation at the National Assembly Hall.
The event brought together CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli, NCP Coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal, NCP Co-coordinator Madhav Kumar Nepal, senior leader Jhalanath Khanal, and former President Bidhya Devi Bhandari. Addressing the gathering, Dahal urged leftist and patriotic forces to strengthen cooperation to safeguard national sovereignty and democratic values, while clarifying that he was not advocating an immediate party merger.
Madhav Kumar Nepal dismissed the possibility of an early unification, stressing that any future merger must be based on genuine ideological consensus. Khanal argued that divisions among communist parties had weakened their electoral performance and called for renewed collaboration. Former President Bidhya Devi Bhandari urged leaders to focus on ideological renewal rather than drawing conclusions from a single election outcome.
Meanwhile, Oli called for functional unity among democratic and leftist forces to counter what he described as regressive political elements. Political analysts, however, viewed the gathering as a strategic attempt by veteran leaders to regain political relevance, questioning whether renewed cooperation would translate into electoral success in the future.
