Kathmandu, May 17- Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has extended his tribute to late communist leaders Madan Bhandari and Jeevraj Ashrit on their 28th Memorial Day today. Bhandari, the then general-secretary of the CPN (UML) and Jeevraj Ashrit, the then chief of the party organization department, had lost their lives to a fateful jeep accident at Dasdhunga in Chitwan on May 16, 1993 (Jestha 3, 2050 BS).CPN-UML Chairperson Oli reached the CPN-UML’s old office building at Balkhu, Kathmandu today morning and garlanded the statues of the late communist leaders.

Deputy Prime Minister and CPN-UML general-secretary Ishwor Pokharel, party leaders Bam Dev Gautam, Ghanashyam Bhusal, Subash Nemwang, Minister for Home Affairs Ram Bahadur Thapa among others also accompanied PM Oli.They also paid homage to late Bhandari who had propounded the concept of ‘People’s Multiparty Democracy’ popularly known in Nepali as ‘Ja Ba Ja’ and firebrand party leader, late Ashrit.

CPN-UML had been annually observing the Day organizing various events on this day but due to the outbreak of second wave of Covid-19, the Memorial Day was observed in a symbolic way this year, according to party office secretary, Sher Bahadur Tamang.
Tamang added that only top party leaders had convened to offer the tributes to late Bhandari and Ashrit. (RSS)