By Gopal Sharma
KATHMANDU, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Tens of thousands rallied for the party of Nepal’s ousted prime minister, K.P. Sharma Oli, on Saturday, in the largest gathering in the Himalayan country since youth-led anti-graft protests forced him out three months ago.
Police estimated 70,000 attended the rally in Bhaktapur near the capital Kathmandu to launch a three-day convention of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist). Organisers had said before the rally they would bring out 300,000 people.
The event "is the biggest mobilisation of supporters” by any party in the capital since the anti-graft protests, said political analyst Puranjan Acharya.
The "Gen Z" protests and subsequent unrest killed 77 people and injured more than 2,000 in September. Oli and some other politicians had to be rescued and kept safe by the army for several days as the Prime Minister’s Office, the Supreme Court and parliament were set on fire.
The interim government headed by former Chief Justice Sushila Karki dissolved parliament. It says the unrest caused more than $586 million in losses to Nepal's $42 billion economy.
Oli, seeking re-election as UML president, told Saturday's rally the dissolution of parliament was unconstitutional. The UML has filed a petition with the Supreme Court seeking the restoration of parliament.
"We are being projected as anti-Gen Z youths. But this is not true," Oli said.
UML General Secretary Shankar Pokhrel told the gathering that although they were forced out, "We still live in the hearts of the people,” adding, "The presence of so many people in the rally is a proof of this."
More than 2,000 UML delegates are eligible to vote for a party president on Monday. Oli is being challenged by his deputy, Ishwar Pokharel.
The winner will lead Nepal's biggest communist group to new parliamentary elections scheduled for March 5.
(Reporting by Gopal Sharma in Kathmandu; Editing by William Mallard)
