Tens of thousands of supporters gathered on Saturday for the party of Nepal’s former prime minister K.P. Sharma Oli, marking the largest political rally in the country since youth-led anti-corruption protests forced him from office three months ago.
Police said about 70,000 people attended the rally in Bhaktapur, near the capital Kathmandu. The event launched a three-day convention of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist), though organisers had earlier claimed up to 300,000 would participate.
Political analyst Puranjan Acharya described the gathering as the largest mobilisation by any political party in the capital since the protests.
The so-called “Gen Z” demonstrations in September sparked widespread unrest that left 77 people dead and more than 2,000 injured. During the violence, the Prime Minister’s Office, the Supreme Court and parliament were set ablaze, and Oli and other political leaders were evacuated and protected by the army for several days.
Following the unrest, an interim government led by former Chief Justice Sushila Karki dissolved parliament, citing damage estimated at more than $586 million to Nepal’s $42 billion economy.
Addressing the rally, Oli—who is seeking re-election as president of the UML—said the dissolution of parliament was unconstitutional. The party has petitioned the Supreme Court to reinstate the legislature.
“We are being portrayed as anti–Gen Z, but that is not true,” Oli told supporters.
UML General Secretary Shankar Pokhrel said the party retained public support despite being removed from power. “We still live in the hearts of the people,” he said, pointing to the turnout as evidence.
More than 2,000 delegates are eligible to vote in Monday’s leadership election, in which Oli is being challenged by his deputy, Ishwar Pokharel. The winner will lead Nepal’s largest communist party into parliamentary elections scheduled for March 5.
