Special Feature: Five reasons why Madan Bhandari is a great left leader of all time in Nepal

ITAHARI, May 17: Based on the official Nepalese calendar of Bikram Sambat, today is the 28th Memorial day of Madan Bhandari. The then Secretary General of Nepal Communist Party (United Marxist Leninist- CPN(UML) breathed his last in what it is said was a car accident on 3 Jestha 2050 (16 May 1993) at Dasdhunga of Chitwan district. Madan Bhandari along with his comrade Jibraj Ashrit died in a still mysteriously portrayed accident.

Madan Bhandari was the leader of main opposition CPN-UML in Nepal's lower house of parliament and was elected from Kathmandu in Nepal's second multiparty parliamentary elections of 1991 at the time of his death. Starting from his formal affiliation at Janabadi Sanskritik Morcha in 1972, a student movement established by Puspalal Shrestha, Madan Bhandari was in active politics, both underground during party less Panchayat era and in political freedom after 1990, for two decades. His parliamentary association was of just two years. Still, Madan Bhandari has a great mark in Nepal's mainstream politics, especially in leftist politics of Nepal.