Bhishmaraj Angdembe: Who Is the Nepali Congress Leader Gaining Attention After Speech in the House of Representatives?
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The Nepali Congress, now the main opposition party in the House of Representatives, appointed Bhishmaraj Angdembe as the parliamentary party leader after taking some time. His speech in Parliament on Wednesday has made him a topic of discussion.
With the party chairman Gagan Thapa and several key leaders defeated, Nepali Congress has been limited to the second largest party with 38 seats in the House of Representatives, where the Rastriya Swatantra Party holds nearly two-thirds majority. In the previous Parliament, Congress was the largest party.
Previously a member of the Constituent Assembly, Angdembe was elected to the federal parliament this time through the proportional representation system.
There were some doubts about whether Angdembe would amplify the opposition’s voice. However, his address during the first session of Parliament attracted the attention of many.
Clips of Angdembe’s speech are widely circulating on social media.
He clearly targeted the ruling party, its leaders, the Prime Minister, and the Speaker in his address, which analysts and political leaders found meaningful.
Creating Buzz After Speech in Parliament
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Following the election after the people’s movement in Bhadra, with most old parties defeated, opposition parties hold only 93 seats in the parliament.
Not just Congress, many prominent leaders of the CPN-UML and the Nepal Communist Party are absent, giving new and previously lesser-known leaders an opportunity to speak in Parliament.
Former minister and UML leader Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal, who defeated Angdembe in the campus union election around 1986, recognizes him as a good speaker since his student days.
“He used to deliver effective speeches during his student politics time. His nature of avoiding seeking fame might be why he remained in the shadow of more renowned leaders,” Dhakal said.
Rajendra Phuyal, former secretary of the National Assembly, said Angdembe’s parliamentary address became notable because he used various metaphors effectively.
“He employed the parliamentary language with metaphors as Parliament desires. It’s essential to present the truth and use respectful language. In that sense, his speech was exemplary in many respects, though he made one mistake,” Phuyal noted.
Phuyal referred to a mistake Angdembe made regarding the election of the Speaker.
‘Grandson of Former Minister’
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Currently 61 years old, Angdembe was elected to the House of Representatives through the proportional representation system. He was also a member of the Constituent Assembly in 2013 BS (around 2017 AD) from Panchthar and currently serves as the shadow government’s Prime Minister.
According to his personal secretary Yam Dhungana, Angdembe’s political journey began in BS 2036 (around 1979) when he participated in a prayer assembly at Fidim Secondary School in Panchthar, wearing a black headband in protest against the Panchayat system.
His grandfather, Deuman Angdembe, served as Minister of Finance under Tank Prasad Acharya’s cabinet in 2013 BS (around 1956 AD). His uncle Premraj was deputy minister under Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala’s government in 2015 BS (around 1958 AD). His father Dharmendra Raj Angdembe was also a local leader.
However, since 2056 BS (around 1999 AD), Bhishmaraj Angdembe has continuously contested elections, losing parliamentary contests four times. After winning the second Constituent Assembly election, he became chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Industry, Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Welfare Protection. Subsequent elections saw him unsuccessfully contesting.
He has served thrice as a central member of Congress and once as joint general secretary. After Sher Bahadur Deuba split the Congress, Angdembe also became the district chairman of Panchthar.
Congress insiders say that during a special general convention, Angdembe grew closer to the founding faction of Gagan Thapa and Bishwaprakash Sharma after leaving Deuba’s group.
During his university days at Nepal Law Campus, there were regular disputes and clashes between the Nepal Student Union and the All Nepal National Free Students’ Union (Revolutionary). UML leader Dhakal notes Angdembe never engaged directly in fights.
Opposition Leader Provokes Ruling Party
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Right after Angdembe’s speech on Wednesday, Review Committee member Banskota on the ruling side claimed there was a violation of parliamentary rules due to some of Angdembe’s words.
Interestingly, Banskota is also from Panchthar and his father, former State Home Minister Deepak Prasad Banskota, was among Angdembe’s political mentors for some time.
Towards the end of his speech, Angdembe questioned the role of the Speaker.
His sarcastic tone during that segment immediately drew dissatisfaction from ruling party members, including RSP Chairman Ravi Lamichhane.
Phuyal noted that members of the ruling party banging tables in protest while Angdembe spoke is a rare event in Nepal’s parliamentary history.
“The opposition is violating the dignity of the house while the ruling party is also intolerant,” he stated.
“Ruling party members protesting is not appropriate from a parliamentary perspective.”
Phuyal also highlighted some unconstitutional practices by opposition members while protesting in the House.
“The ruling party must not make the mistake of seeing the Speaker as belonging only to their side because the Speaker is neither from the ruling nor opposition parties,” he added.
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