Former president Bidya Devi Bhandari’s remarks about former king Gyanendra Shah have heated up Nepal’s political landscape.
After the CPN-UML refused to recognize the renewal of her party membership, Bhandari has remained on the political sidelines. Following the defeat of the Ishwar Pokharel faction, which she had supported, at the party’s recently concluded 11th general convention, the possibility of her immediate return to active UML politics has ended. In this context, Bhandari expressed respect for the former king, saying that Gyanendra had “handed over what belonged to the people back to the people and relinquished the throne.”
She also remarked that despite giving up the throne, he did not leave the country out of love for the nation, and added that if politics continues to remain fluid, the monarchy could return.
“One cannot say that there is absolutely no possibility of anything in politics; it is a game of time and circumstances,” she said while responding to questions about the former king in an interview with journalist Rishi Dhamala. “If the country continues to remain in such a fluid situation, it cannot be ruled out that [the monarchy] could return.”
Dhamala followed up by asking, “So does that mean former king Gyanendra Shah could become king again?”
Bhandari responded, “If the monarchy is restored, then certainly.”
When Dhamala pressed again, asking, “If the monarchy is restored, would former king Gyanendra Shah become king?” Bhandari replied briefly, “He could.”
In the interview, Bhandari said that she knows Gyanendra as a former king and did not wish to comment on him merely as an individual.
During the conversation, she said that she respects the former king also because he was the king of Nepal, a senior member of the royal family, and a descendant of Prithvi Narayan Shah – the leader of national unification and the founder of the nation.
She added, “If the country remains unstable and political parties fail to command respect, then someone has to take command. Among Nepal’s various power centers, the former monarchy is also one such power center.”
The interview given by Bhandari on Saturday has since become a major topic of discussion in political circles.
Her remarks have drawn particular attention because she is the second president of republican Nepal established after the fall of the monarchy – and she served two terms.
Critics argue that the remarks undermining the republic have come from someone who once held the highest constitutional office as the guardian of the federal democratic republic.
Some UML leaders close to Bhandari have suggested that it would have been better had she not responded to that question at all. Others have come to her defense. UML Kathmandu Chair Deepak Niraula said attempts were being made to draw fallacious conclusions from a contextual response given by the former president.
Sarita Neupane, who was defeated in the recent general convention race for central committee membership, urged people to listen to the entire interview before reacting.
However, a leader from the UML establishment faction said that the former president’s remarks suggesting a possible return of the monarchy indicate that her confidence in the current system has weakened.
“It is not normal for a former president to say the monarchy could return. I listened to the full interview repeatedly. She did not say this casually,” the UML leader said.
Senior leader of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Rabindra Mishra, reacted enthusiastically. He not only shared the interview but also commented on it.
“The way he relinquished the throne, I respect him. He is a patriot. He is one of the country’s power centers. If politics remains fluid, he could return. Someone has to take command,” Mishra wrote, quoting Bhandari’s interview. “Now understand the meaning yourselves. It is difficult for many to come out of the illusion that politics is sinking. Former president Bidya Devi Bhandari has made a commendable effort this time.”
Bhandari’s interview has also stirred debate within UML circles, although many leaders have yet to respond.
Former deputy general secretary Pradeep Gyawali posted on social media on Monday. Commenting on a thanksgiving gathering organized by the Ishwar Pokhrel faction at Karki Banquet on Saturday, Gyawali said that “two scenes from recent days have been disturbing.”
Referring to Bhandari’s remarks about the former king, Gyawali described them as showing a “wavering faith in the very ground she herself stood on.”
“It was astonishing to hear the former president say that the monarchy could be restored. Why has her confidence in the foundation she herself stood upon begun to waver?” he wrote.
We also asked former UML vice-chairman Surendra Pandey about the issue. He said that he was not well informed about Bhandari’s remarks.
“I have not had the opportunity to understand what information or facts the former president based her remarks on. I haven’t even heard the interview,” he said. “It is also not necessarily a good practice for one person to react to what someone else has said.”
