Kathmandu, March 16:

Former mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Keshav Sthapit formally returned to the CPN-UML today. General secretary of the CPN-UML Madhav Kumar Nepal welcomed Sthapit to the party fold by offering him tika at a brief function held at the Balkhu-based headquarters of the CPN-UML.

“I have my son to complement the loss to the party,” Sthapit said in a light vein.

He said his grandfather, who dedicated all his life in service of the royal family, was rebuked for a minor mistake. “Service to the monarchy always ends in disaster,” he said. “I felt humiliated when the party, during its seventh general convention, removed me as representative of the general convention,” he said.

Sthapit claimed that he used Nepal Praja Parishad as a camouflage to save himself during the royal regime. “I do not think the UML is an inclusive party,” he said. However, Sthapit praised Nepal for his “able leadership” and claimed that Nepal will lead the country in the near future.