Tough-talking Nepali politician Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli, a long-time figure in communist politics who has served as prime minister four times, was removed from power in 2025 following violent protests led by youth activists. Just under six months after the deadly anti-corruption demonstrations that claimed the lives of at least 77 individuals in September, the 73-year-old leader is now aiming to make a political comeback.
Oli, who leads the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), is vying to regain control of the parliament in the upcoming elections scheduled for March 5. However, he faces a direct challenge in his constituency from Balendra Shah, a 35-year-old former rapper turned mayor, who positions himself as a symbol of the youth-driven shift in politics.
The election campaign is set to kick off on Monday, and Oli has been actively engaging with communities to garner support, framing the upcoming polls as a contest between those who destruct and those who construct the nation. The protests that led to Oli’s resignation were sparked by his government’s social media ban but were fueled by widespread discontent over economic stagnation and entrenched corruption.
During his tenure as prime minister, Oli became a focal point of protester anger, culminating in his resignation on September 9, 2025, amidst violent demonstrations that saw his residence, parliament, and government buildings set ablaze. In his resignation letter, Oli expressed hope that stepping down would facilitate progress towards a political resolution and address the prevailing issues.
In January, Oli provided a statement to a government-appointed commission investigating the crackdown on the youth-led uprising. He refuted allegations of ordering the police to use force against protesters, emphasizing that he did not issue any such directives. Oli attributed the escalation of violence to “infiltrators” or “anarchic forces” without elaborating further, suggesting that the situation had pushed the authorities to resort to drastic measures.
Despite the upheaval surrounding his leadership, Oli remains optimistic about his political future, having secured re-election as the CPN-UML chief in December with a significant majority. Known for his authoritarian tendencies, Oli is perceived by political journalist Binu Subedi as someone who seldom accepts criticism or differing opinions, maintaining a dictatorial approach within his party.
Referred to by his initials “KP,” Oli has meticulously cultivated a cult-like persona within his party over the years, with larger-than-life cutouts and banners at rallies proclaiming “KP Ba (father), we love you.” With a political career spanning nearly six decades, Oli has weathered challenges including a civil war and the abolition of Nepal’s monarchy in 2008.
Having delved into underground communist activism during his youth, Oli was arrested at the age of 21 in 1973 for advocating the overthrow of the monarchy. Following a lengthy imprisonment, during which he wrote poetry on cigarette packets when paper was scarce, Oli emerged undeterred, attributing his resolve to continue the struggle against the autocratic regime.
Upon his release in 1987, Oli joined the CPN-UML and steadily climbed the party ranks, eventually securing a parliamentary seat. He first assumed the role of prime minister in 2015, with subsequent terms in 2018 and briefly in 2021 in Nepal’s often tumultuous political landscape. Oli acknowledges that Marxism and Leninism do not offer universal solutions to every challenge.
In his recent term from 2024 until his removal, Oli’s governance relied on a coalition between the CPN-UML and the center-left Nepali Congress. However, the Nepali Congress has since replaced its long-standing leader, Sher Bahadur Deuba, with Gagan Thapa, a 49-year-old, in January. In a nation of approximately 30 million individuals nestled between India and China, Oli carefully balanced relations between the two regional giants while also advocating against perceived dominance by India.
