Almost no political family in Nepal has left as deep an imprint on the nation's democratic evolution as the family of late Madan Bhandari and former President Bidya Devi Bhandari.
Closely associated with the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) (CPN-UML), the Bhandari family, this time, has decided to sit out the Nepal elections 2026.
Madan Bhandari
Born in 1951 in Taplejung district, Madan Bhandari began his political career through student activism and later became a central figure in Nepal's communist movement. As General Secretary of CPN-UML in the early 1990s, he led the party during the period following the restoration of multiparty democracy in 1990.
He is known for advancing the doctrine of “People's Multiparty Democracy” (PMD), which positioned the party within a competitive parliamentary framework while maintaining its Marxist orientation. Under his leadership, CPN-UML was a major force in national politics.
In 1993, he died in a car accident at Dasdhunga in Chitwan.
Bidya Devi Bhandari
Bidya Devi Bhandari was born in 1961 in Bhojpur district and was active in student politics before her marriage. She met Madan Bhandari during their involvement in political movements, and they married in 1982. After his death, she expanded her role within the party and national politics.
She served multiple terms as a Member of Parliament and held ministerial portfolios, including Minister of Defence.
In 2015, after the promulgation of Nepal's new constitution, she was elected as the second President of Nepal and became the country's first woman head of state. She served two terms, concluding in 2023.
The Bhandari Family
The couple has two daughters, Usha Kiran and Nisha Kusum Bhandari. Both have largely remained outside frontline electoral politics. One pursued a career in medicine, while the other has been associated at times with youth-level political activity.
Usha Kiran Bhandari resigned from a role within the UML's foreign affairs department.
