UML’s 11th General Convention Begins Today

Kathmandu: The 11th General Convention of the Communist Party of Nepal–Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) is set to begin on Saturday, today in Sallaghari, Bhaktapur.

As the party has already settled its policy agenda through a statutory general convention, the three-day gathering, scheduled from December 13 to 15, will mainly focus on electing the party’s new leadership.

The UML has stated that all preparations for the convention have been completed.

The convention is being held a year ahead of schedule amid growing pressure for leadership change following the Gen-Z movement of September 8 and 9, which led to the collapse of the coalition government headed by UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli.

Both Chairperson Oli and Senior Vice-Chairman Ishwor Pokharel have formally announced their candidacies for the top post.

Addressing a meeting with editors on Thursday, Oli said he intends to continue leading the party for another term.

Pokharel, who has emerged as a vocal critic of Oli, declared his candidacy through media interviews, arguing in recent months that party leadership should change beginning with this convention.

The Communist Party of Nepal was first founded in 1949 under the leadership of Pushpa Lal Shrestha. Manmohan Adhikari served as general secretary after the party’s first general convention in 1953.

Following the People’s Movement of 1990, the CPN-UML was formed through the merger of the CPN-ML led by the late Madan Bhandari and the CPN (Marxist) led by the late Manmohan Adhikari.

In addition to Oli and Pokharel, several other leaders—including Shanker Pokharel, Surendra Pandey, Prithvi Subba Gurung, and Pradeep Gyawali—have reportedly announced their candidacies for various leadership positions.