KATHMANDU, Dec 19: The office bearers and central committee members elected at the CPN-UML’s 11th General Convention took their oath of office on Thursday, with newly re-elected party chair KP Sharma Oli personally administering the oath of office and secrecy to the other members.
Oli marked a landslide victory with decisive 1,663 votes, defeating rival Ishwar Pokhrel who clinched to 564 votes formally marking the start of his third consecutive term at the helm of the party.
Addressing the convention immediately after taking the oath, Oli hailed the delegates for successfully thwarting ‘reactionary forces’ and ‘conspiracies’ that aimed to create an “Oli-free UML.” He said the delegates responded to misleading narratives spread by opponents by endorsing his leadership.
“Many forces tried to spread confusion about me, create psychological terror, and orchestrate conspiracies,” Oli said. “The reactionaries’ attempt to establish an ‘Oli-free UML’ has been defeated by your support. I want to thank you for this awareness.”
Oli also praised senior leaders Yubaraj Gyawali, Ashtalakshmi Shakya, and Keshav Badal (who decided not to contest for party’s post) for paving the way for a consensus-based leadership selection. He highlighted that these leaders ended the trend of clinging to office and set an example of democratic practice and generational transition within the party.
Oli wins hat-trick term as UML chair
The convention witnessed a contest between two rival panels led by Oli and Pokhrel for key leadership positions. Of the 19 office bearers elected, 17 belong to Oli’s panel, reflecting the overwhelming dominance of the party’s establishment faction. Only two contestants from Oli’s panel—vice-chairman contender Guru Baral and deputy general secretary Bishnu Rimal—were defeated. The former was replaced by Gokarna Bista (1,368 votes) and the latter by Yogesh Bhattarai (1,348 votes), both of whom contested from the Pokhrel panel.
Oli, a four-time prime minister, was first elected party chief from the 9th General Convention in Kathmandu and re-elected at the 10th General Convention in Sauraha, Chitwan. His third term was made possible after the party’s statute convention held on September 5–7 unanimously endorsed a proposal to remove the two-term limit and the 70-year age bar for the party’s executive positions.
Prithivi Subba Gurung secured the highest votes among vice-chair candidates with 1,737 votes. Bishnu Prasad Paudel received 1,675 votes, Ram Bahadur Thapa 1,516 votes, and Raghuji Pant 1,258 votes to win vice-chair positions from Oli’s panel.
Shankar Pokhrel was re-elected as general secretary for a second term, securing 1,228 votes. His rival, Surendra Prasad Pandey from the Pokhrel-led panel, received 999 votes.
Lekhraj Bhatta (1,452 votes) and Raghubir Mahaseth (1,368 votes) from Oli’s panel, along with Yogesh Bhattarai (1,348 votes) from Pokhrel’s panel, were elected as deputy general secretaries.
All nine candidates from the Oli-led panel were elected as secretaries. Mahesh Basnet topped the list with 1,544 votes, followed by Padma Kumari Aryal (1,530), Chhabilal Bishwakarma (1,506), Sherdhan Rai (1,503), Hikmat Kumar Karki (1,337), Khag Raj Adhikari (1,231), Yamlal Kandel (1,185), Dr Rajan Bhattarai (1,181) and Bhanubhakta Dhakal (1,108).
Vote counting began on Thursday morning after collecting all 80 electronic voting machines. The process was overseen by representatives from both panels and members of the party’s central election commission. Polling started at 9:12 AM on Wednesday, continued overnight, and concluded early Thursday. A total of 2,227 delegates cast their ballots, while 36 were absent.
The results firmly consolidate Oli’s hold over the party leadership as he embarks on his third term at the helm of the CPN-UML.
Elected Office Bearers
Chair
KP Sharma Oli: 1,663 votes
Vice-Chairs
Prithvi Subba Gurung: 1,737
Bishnu Prasad Paudel: 1,675
Ram Bahadur Thapa: 1,516
Gokarna Bista: 1,368
Raghuji Pant: 1,258
General Secretary
Shankar Pokhrel: 1,452
Deputy General Secretaries
Lekhraj Bhatta: 1,452
Raghubir Mahaseth: 1,368
Yogesh Bhattarai: 1,348
Secretaries
Mahesh Basnet: 1,544
Padma Kumari Aryal: 1,530
Chhabilal Bishwakarma: 1,506
Sherdhan Rai: 1,503
Hikmat Kumar Karki: 1,337
Khag Raj Adhikari: 1,231
Yam Lal Kandel: 1,185
Dr Rajan Bhattarai: 1,181
Bhanubhakta Dhakal: 1,108
