Kathmandu. The third meeting of the Central Committee of the CPN-UML has elected former President Bidya Devi Bhandari as the senior leader of the party.

A meeting of the party’s secretariat held before the central committee meeting today had approved the list of nominations for the post of senior leader including Bhandari as the central member. The party has unanimously decided to give the responsibility of the senior leader after internal debate was underway on ÷whether to give membership to former vice-chair Bhandari of the party.

Similarly, UML Secretary Hikmat Karki expressed the belief that Bhandari would now play the role of a senior leader and her experience in political and organizational would help to take forward the party’s future responsibilities in an effective way.

Talking to media persons following the meeting, party secretary Padma Aryal said that the responsibility of senior leader was given to an experienced leader like Bhandari as it would not be appropriate to keep him as a party member only after giving him the membership.

Another secretary Mahesh Basnet said that the central committee meeting was held in a cordial manner and that the meeting was held in a united and encouraging manner while ‘disappointing the attack on the leadership and the party’. He expressed hope that the judiciary would give a quick and appropriate decision on the issue of reinstatement of the dissolved House of Representatives.

The central committee meeting that started on September 5 concluded today. The meeting of the central committee on Wednesday had passed the political report of party chairman KP Sharma Oli.