"Shankar"

#13175508

10 January 2026

Central Secretary of CPN-UML Shankar Pokhrel attends the Central Committee meeting in Nepal on January 10, 2026. The Central Committee meeting of the Nepal Communist Party (UML) reviews political developments. The key agenda item of the meeting is the revision of the party's bylaws. Proposed amendments, based on changes made during the Second Statutory General Convention from September 5 to 7, 2025, and the Eleventh National Convention from December 14 to 16, 2025, are presented for approval. Decisions taken in the Central Secretariat meetings on December 27, 2025, and January 6 are submitted for approval; these decisions have already been implemented through the party's Inter-Party Directive-1. Additionally, party Chair Oli distributes certificates to officials and members elected to the Central Committee during the Eleventh National Convention.

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#13161299

6 January 2026

Shankar Pokharel, General Secretary of CPN-UML, attends the party's secretariat meeting at the party office in Lalitpur, Nepal, on January 6, 2026. CPN-UML forms a manifesto drafting committee for the upcoming House of Representatives elections scheduled for March 5. The decision is made during the party's Secretariat meeting with Chairperson KP Sharma Oli leading the committee. The committee includes former Senior Vice-Chairman Ishwar Pokharel, who is defeated by Oli in the party leadership contest. According to Deputy General Secretary Lekhraj Bhatta, the manifesto drafting committee comprises Vice-Chairmen Ram Bahadur Thapa and Bishnu Paudel, General Secretary Shankar Pokharel, Central Committee members Ishwar Pokharel and Pradeep Gyawali, as well as Bishnu Rimal.

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#13161300

6 January 2026

Shankar Pokharel, General Secretary of CPN-UML, chats with former secretary of the party Gokarna Bista in the premises of the party office in Lalitpur, Nepal, on January 6, 2026. CPN-UML forms a manifesto drafting committee for the upcoming House of Representatives elections scheduled for March 5. The decision is made during the party's Secretariat meeting with Chairperson KP Sharma Oli leading the committee. The committee includes former Senior Vice-Chairman Ishwar Pokharel, who is defeated by Oli in the party leadership contest. According to Deputy General Secretary Lekhraj Bhatta, the manifesto drafting committee comprises Vice-Chairmen Ram Bahadur Thapa and Bishnu Paudel, General Secretary Shankar Pokharel, Central Committee members Ishwar Pokharel and Pradeep Gyawali, as well as Bishnu Rimal.

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#13161301

6 January 2026

Former Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli (Center) arrives at the party office to chair the meeting of the party secretariat in Nepal on January 6, 2026. CPN-UML forms a manifesto drafting committee for the upcoming House of Representatives elections scheduled for March 5. The decision is made during the party's Secretariat meeting with Chairperson KP Sharma Oli leading the committee. The committee includes former Senior Vice-Chairman Ishwar Pokharel, who is defeated by Oli in the party leadership contest. According to Deputy General Secretary Lekhraj Bhatta, the manifesto drafting committee comprises Vice-Chairmen Ram Bahadur Thapa and Bishnu Paudel, General Secretary Shankar Pokharel, Central Committee members Ishwar Pokharel and Pradeep Gyawali, as well as Bishnu Rimal.

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#13161302

6 January 2026

Mohan Basnet, the close aide of former Nepali Prime Minister and Chairman of CPN-UML, KP Sharma Oli, attends the party's secretariat meeting on January 6, 2026. CPN-UML forms a manifesto drafting committee for the upcoming House of Representatives elections scheduled for March 5. The decision is made during the party's Secretariat meeting with Chairperson KP Sharma Oli leading the committee. The committee includes former Senior Vice-Chairman Ishwar Pokharel, who is defeated by Oli in the party leadership contest. According to Deputy General Secretary Lekhraj Bhatta, the manifesto drafting committee comprises Vice-Chairmen Ram Bahadur Thapa and Bishnu Paudel, General Secretary Shankar Pokharel, Central Committee members Ishwar Pokharel and Pradeep Gyawali, as well as Bishnu Rimal.

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#13161303

6 January 2026

Leaders of the CPN-UML attend the party secretariat meeting held at the party office in Lalitpur, Nepal, on January 6, 2026. CPN-UML forms a manifesto drafting committee for the upcoming House of Representatives elections scheduled for March 5. The decision is made during the party's Secretariat meeting with Chairperson KP Sharma Oli leading the committee. The committee includes former Senior Vice-Chairman Ishwar Pokharel, who is defeated by Oli in the party leadership contest. According to Deputy General Secretary Lekhraj Bhatta, the manifesto drafting committee comprises Vice-Chairmen Ram Bahadur Thapa and Bishnu Paudel, General Secretary Shankar Pokharel, Central Committee members Ishwar Pokharel and Pradeep Gyawali, as well as Bishnu Rimal.

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#13161304

6 January 2026

Leaders of the CPN-UML attend the party secretariat meeting held at the party office in Lalitpur, Nepal, on January 6, 2026. CPN-UML forms a manifesto drafting committee for the upcoming House of Representatives elections scheduled for March 5. The decision is made during the party's Secretariat meeting with Chairperson KP Sharma Oli leading the committee. The committee includes former Senior Vice-Chairman Ishwar Pokharel, who is defeated by Oli in the party leadership contest. According to Deputy General Secretary Lekhraj Bhatta, the manifesto drafting committee comprises Vice-Chairmen Ram Bahadur Thapa and Bishnu Paudel, General Secretary Shankar Pokharel, Central Committee members Ishwar Pokharel and Pradeep Gyawali, as well as Bishnu Rimal.

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#13161305

6 January 2026

Former Nepali Prime Minister and Chairman of CPN-UML, KP Sharma Oli, chairs the meeting of the party secretariat on January 6, 2026. CPN-UML forms a manifesto drafting committee for the upcoming House of Representatives elections scheduled for March 5. The decision is made during the party's Secretariat meeting with Chairperson KP Sharma Oli leading the committee. The committee includes former Senior Vice-Chairman Ishwar Pokharel, who is defeated by Oli in the party leadership contest. According to Deputy General Secretary Lekhraj Bhatta, the manifesto drafting committee comprises Vice-Chairmen Ram Bahadur Thapa and Bishnu Paudel, General Secretary Shankar Pokharel, Central Committee members Ishwar Pokharel and Pradeep Gyawali, as well as Bishnu Rimal.

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#13161306

6 January 2026

Leaders of the CPN-UML attend the party secretariat meeting held at the party office in Lalitpur, Nepal, on January 6, 2026. CPN-UML forms a manifesto drafting committee for the upcoming House of Representatives elections scheduled for March 5. The decision is made during the party's Secretariat meeting with Chairperson KP Sharma Oli leading the committee. The committee includes former Senior Vice-Chairman Ishwar Pokharel, who is defeated by Oli in the party leadership contest. According to Deputy General Secretary Lekhraj Bhatta, the manifesto drafting committee comprises Vice-Chairmen Ram Bahadur Thapa and Bishnu Paudel, General Secretary Shankar Pokharel, Central Committee members Ishwar Pokharel and Pradeep Gyawali, as well as Bishnu Rimal.

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#13109113

18 December 2025

Newly elected Deputy Chairman of CPN-UML Shankar Pokharel gestures during the 11th General Convention of the KP Sharma Oli led Communist Party of Nepal- Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) in Kathmandu, Nepal, on December 18, 2025. In the 11th General Convention of the communist party, Oli contests forming a panel and wins 17 out of 19 office-bearer positions. Only two office-bearers are elected from the panel led by Ishwar Pokharel. Gokarna Bista is elected vice-chairperson, while Yogesh Kumar Bhattarai secures the post of deputy general secretary. Among the elected office-bearers, Padma Kumari Aryal is the only woman, winning the post of secretary. From the Pokharel panel, Binda Pandey loses the vice-chairperson race, while Rachana Khadka is defeated in the secretary contest. All nine secretary positions are secured by candidates from the Oli panel, underlining its overwhelming dominance in the party's new leadership structure.

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#13109109

18 December 2025

Former Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli (Left) interacts with newly elected Deputy Chairman, Shankar Pokharel (Right) at the 11th General Convention venue of his party, the Communist Party of Nepal- Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), in Kathmandu, Nepal, on December 18, 2025. In the 11th General Convention of the communist party, Oli, who contests by forming a panel, wins 17 out of 19 office-bearer positions. Only two office-bearers are elected from the panel led by Ishwar Pokharel. Gokarna Bista is elected vice-chairperson, while Yogesh Kumar Bhattarai secures the post of deputy general secretary. Among the elected office-bearers, Padma Kumari Aryal is the only woman, winning the post of secretary. From the Pokharel panel, Binda Pandey loses the vice-chairperson race, while Rachana Khadka is defeated in the secretary contest. All nine secretary positions are secured by candidates from the Oli panel, underlining its overwhelming dominance in the party's new leadership structure.

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#13109111

18 December 2025

Former Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli (Left) interacts with newly elected Deputy Chairman, Shankar Pokharel (Right) at the 11th General Convention venue of his party, the Communist Party of Nepal- Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), in Kathmandu, Nepal, on December 18, 2025. In the 11th General Convention of the communist party, Oli, who contests by forming a panel, wins 17 out of 19 office-bearer positions. Only two office-bearers are elected from the panel led by Ishwar Pokharel. Gokarna Bista is elected vice-chairperson, while Yogesh Kumar Bhattarai secures the post of deputy general secretary. Among the elected office-bearers, Padma Kumari Aryal is the only woman, winning the post of secretary. From the Pokharel panel, Binda Pandey loses the vice-chairperson race, while Rachana Khadka is defeated in the secretary contest. All nine secretary positions are secured by candidates from the Oli panel, underlining its overwhelming dominance in the party's new leadership structure.

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#13103567

16 December 2025

Shankar Pokhrel, the general secretary candidate in the ongoing 11th General Convention of the CPN-UML, announces the postponement of the election process in Kathmandu, Nepal, on December 16, 2025. The contest for the new leadership of CPN-UML (Communist Party of Nepal- Unified Marxist Leninist) intensifies as incumbent chairman KP Sharma Oli and senior vice-chairman Ishwar Pokharel face each other with separate panels. As per the published list by the party's election committee, incumbent chairman KP Sharma Oli and senior vice-chairman Ishwar Pokharel file their candidacies for the chairmanship. Candidates also register from their respective panels as well as independently for other office-bearer positions and central committee membership. Under the party's amended statute, there are five vice-chairperson posts, for which 11 candidates file nominations. For the nine Secretary positions, 20 candidates contest. Additionally, more than 1,000 candidates file nominations for central committee membership from various geographical areas and sectors.

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#13103568

16 December 2025

Shankar Pokhrel, a general secretary candidate in the ongoing 11th General Convention of the CPN-UML, announces the postponement of the election process in Kathmandu, Nepal, on December 16, 2025. The contest for the new leadership of the CPN-UML (Communist Party of Nepal- Unified Marxist Leninist) intensifies as incumbent chairman KP Sharma Oli and senior vice-chairman Ishwar Pokharel face each other with separate panels. According to the published list by the party's election committee, incumbent chairman KP Sharma Oli and senior vice-chairman Ishwar Pokharel file their candidacies for the chairmanship. Candidates also register from their respective panels as well as independently for other office-bearer positions and central committee membership. Under the party's amended statute, there are five vice-chairperson posts, for which 11 candidates file nominations. For the nine Secretary positions, 20 candidates contest. Additionally, more than 1,000 candidates file nominations for central committee membership from various geographical areas and sectors.

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#13091073

13 December 2025

Shankar Pokharel, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Nepal- Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), addresses the opening ceremony of the party's general convention in Bhaktapur, Nepal, on December 13, 2025. The party claims the gathering to be its largest so far, mobilizing supporters from across the country by reserving vehicles to bring cadres to the Valley. Over 2,200 delegates, including elected and nominated representatives, and 309 observers participate in the convention, which elects the party's new leadership. Around 10,000 volunteers are mobilized for organizational management, according to the organizer. The convention elects 15 office-bearers, including the party chair and 251 central committees. Another 10 percent of members are nominated. Although the party statute mandates a general convention every five years, this one convenes a year early. The 10th convention is held in Chitwan, Nepal, in December 2021. As the statute and policy convention concludes in September, the gathering focuses mainly on leadership selection. In the closed-door session, Oli is scheduled to present the political report, while General Secretary Shankar Pokhrel tables the organizational report. Senior Vice Chairman Ishwar Pokhrel registers a concept paper criticizing Oli's leadership style and raising concerns over internal party democracy, and announces a challenge to Oli for the party chair.

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#13091046

13 December 2025

Cadres of the Communist Party of Nepal- Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) attend the inauguration ceremony of the party's General Convention in Bhaktapur, Nepal, on December 13, 2025. The party claims the gathering is its largest so far, mobilizing supporters from across the country by reserving vehicles to bring cadres to the Valley. Over 2,200 delegates, including elected and nominated representatives, and 309 observers participate in the convention, which elects the party's new leadership. Around 10,000 volunteers are mobilized for organizational management, according to the organizer. The convention elects 15 office-bearers, including the party chair and 251 central committee members. Another 10 percent of members are nominated. Although the party statute mandates a general convention every five years, this one is convened a year early. The 10th convention is held in Chitwan, Nepal, in December 2021. As the statute and policy convention concludes in September, the gathering focuses mainly on leadership selection. In the closed-door session, Oli presents the political report, while General Secretary Shankar Pokhrel tables the organizational report. Senior Vice Chairman Ishwar Pokhrel registers a concept paper criticizing Oli's leadership style and raising concerns over internal party democracy, and announces a challenge to Oli for the party chair.

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