Kathmandu: CPN-UML Vice-Chairperson Ashtalakshmi Shakya has strongly criticized party Chair KP Sharma Oli, accusing him of using language that demeans women, including former President Bidya Devi Bhandari.

Speaking at a women leaders’ dialogue event held on Tuesday as part of the preparations for the party’s 11th National Convention, Shakya said Oli’s recent remarks regarding Bhandari were “inappropriate” and reflected a negative attitude toward women.
She questioned,

“Is this the respect shown by our Chairman KP Sharma Oli—who has been the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic several times—to the former President, the protector of the country and the Constitution? What is ‘Dhami-Jhakri’? Is it permissible to insult such a person?”

Shakya stressed that such statements from the party’s top leadership are unacceptable.

“If it is not acceptable for an ordinary woman, how can it be acceptable to insult a former President? But Comrade KP does it because he has no thought and no perspective towards women,” she added.

Central Member Timalsina Raises Concerns Over Internal Democracy
UML central committee member Usha Kiran Timalsina, who has served in the party’s central body for four years, expressed frustration over the lack of space for open expression and participation within the party.

She claimed that speaking opportunities in central committee meetings have become extremely limited:
“In four years as a central member, the total time I was allowed to speak was only six minutes—three minutes in one meeting, and three minutes in another.”

Timalsina argued that such restrictions contradict the principles of democracy and republicanism.“Where is the room for speaking within the party? The central committee meeting has become a platform for a few leaders to speak arbitrarily for hours. This must change,” she said.

She further alleged that decision-making power and leadership selection have become concentrated in the hands of a small circle of leaders.

Other Leaders Call for Leadership Change
Standing Committee members Dr. Binda Pandey, Sharmila Karki, Rachana Khadka, and other women leaders also spoke at the event. They urged the party to adopt more democratic internal practices and emphasized the need for changes in the UML leadership through the upcoming general convention.