Biratnagar, December 23
Royalist leader and former Deputy Prime Minister Badri Prasad Mandal has passed away. He died on Tuesday at his residence in Biratnagar Metropolitan City–9.
Mandal was a former acting chairperson of the Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Nepal). A prominent royalist, he earned the trust of two former kings—Birendra Bir Bikram Shah and his brother Gyanendra Shah—and was repeatedly appointed to state responsibilities.
In 2061 BS, Mandal became Minister for Agriculture with third seniority in the cabinet formed under King Gyanendra’s leadership. After the establishment of the republic, he remained inactive in politics for a long period before returning to active politics through the Sadbhavana Party.
Mandal, who served as Morang district chairperson at the time, first rose close to the royal family in 2038 BS and was appointed Assistant Minister for Finance. In 2043 BS, he also served as Minister for Law and Justice.
“He was an old and active leader from Morang. His signature is on my father’s citizenship issued in 2032–33 BS,” said JSP leader Jayaram Yadav. “During the Panchayat era, he served as a minister several times.”
At the age of 88, Mandal had defeated senior Congress leader Shailaja Acharya from then Morang constituency No. 5 in the 2056 BS general election.
Royalist leader Ballabh Prasad Dahal said Mandal was a leader trusted by both kings. “He created his own history. He served as a minister under two kings, and King Gyanendra even appointed him Deputy Prime Minister,” Dahal said.
According to Dahal, Mandal was the first person from the Madhesi community to become both Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister.
He said that when Mandal wielded strong influence in Biratnagar, Girija Prasad Koirala had attempted to bring him into the Nepali Congress, but Mandal refused. “After the political change of 2046 BS, when Girija Prasad Koirala invited him to his residence, he did not go. Later, at a meeting at Badri Basnet’s house, he again rejected the proposal to join the Congress,” Dahal said.
Once a powerful leader in eastern Nepal, Mandal gradually lost influence after the political change of 2046 BS.
He returned to a royal appointment in 2061 BS but faded from prominence after the establishment of the republic. He later rejoined politics through the Sadbhavana Party founded by Gajendra Narayan Singh and remained aligned with royalist politics in the latter part of his life.
Mandal is survived by two wives, four sons and three daughters. One of his sons had passed away earlier.
