Ousted Nepal PM’s party holds biggest rally since Gen Z protests

KATHMANDU – Tens of thousands rallied for the party of Nepal’s ousted prime minister, Mr K.P. Sharma Oli, on Dec 13, in the largest gathering in the Himalayan country since youth-led anti-graft protests forced him out three months ago.

The police estimated that about 70,000 people attended the rally in Bhaktapur near the capital Kathmandu to launch a three-day convention of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist), or CPN (UML).

Organisers had said before the rally that they would bring out 300,000 people.

The event “is the biggest mobilisation of supporters” by any party in the capital since the anti-graft protests, political analyst Puranjan Acharya said.

The “Gen Z” protests

and subsequent unrest left 77 people dead and injured more than 2,000 in September.

Mr Oli and some other politicians were rescued and kept safe by the army for several days as the Prime Minister’s Office, the Supreme Court and Parliament were set ablaze.

The interim government headed by former chief justice Sushila Karki dissolved Parliament.

It says the unrest caused more than US$586 million (S$756.6 million) in losses to Nepal’s US$42 billion economy.

Mr Oli, seeking re-election as CPN (UML) president, told the Dec 13 rally that the dissolution of Parliament was unconstitutional.

The party has filed a petition with the Supreme Court seeking the restoration of Parliament.

“We are being projected as anti-Gen Z youths. But this is not true,” Mr Oli said.

CPN (UML) general secretary Shankar Pokhrel told the gathering that although they were forced out, “we still live in the hearts of the people”.

“The presence of so many people in the rally is a proof of this,” he added.

More than 2,000 party delegates are eligible to vote for a party president on Dec 15.

Mr Oli is being challenged by his deputy, Mr Ishwar Pokharel.

The winner will lead Nepal’s biggest communist group to a new parliamentary election scheduled for March 5. REUTERS