Bishnu Prasad Paudel
Nepali politician
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Bishnu Prasad Paudel (Nepali: विष्णुप्रसाद पौडेल) is a Nepalese politician, who is the vice-chairman of Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist).[1] Paudel served as the deputy prime minister and Minister of Finance in the Third Dahal cabinet.[2] He has earlier served as deputy prime minister (2021), and headed other prominent ministries such as Finance (2020-2021, 2015-2016), Home Affairs (2021), Industry (2021), Water (2021, 2008-2009, 1994-1999) and Defence (2011).
Narayan Kaji Shrestha
Rabi Lamichhane
Upendra Yadav (until 13 May 2024)
Bishna Prasad Paudel | |
|---|---|
विष्णुप्रसाद पौडेल | |
| Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal | |
| In office 15 July 2024 – 9 September 2025 | |
| President | Ram Chandra Poudel |
| Prime Minister | Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli |
| Preceded by | Raghubir Mahaseth Narayan Kaji Shrestha Rabi Lamichhane Upendra Yadav (until 13 May 2024) |
| Succeeded by | Vacant |
| In office 26 December 2022 – 27 February 2023 | |
| President | Bidhya Devi Bhandari |
| Prime Minister | Pushpa Kamal Dahal |
| Preceded by | himself Rajendra Mahato Raghubir Mahaseth |
| Succeeded by | Purna Bahadur Khadka |
| In office 4 June 2021 – 22 June 2021 | |
| President | Bidya Devi Bhandari |
| Prime Minister | Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli |
| Preceded by | Ishwar Pokhrel Upendra Yadav (until 24 December 2019) |
| Succeeded by | himself Rajendra Mahato Raghubir Mahaseth |
| Minister of Finance of Nepal | |
| In office 15 July 2024 – 9 September 2025 | |
| President | Ram Chandra Poudel |
| Prime Minister | Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli |
| Preceded by | Barshaman Pun |
| Succeeded by | Rameshwor Prasad Khanal |
| In office 26 December 2022 – 27 February 2023 | |
| President | Bidhya Devi Bhandari |
| Prime Minister | Pushpa Kamal Dahal |
| Preceded by | Janardan Sharma |
| Succeeded by | Prakash Sharan Mahat |
| In office 14 October 2020 – 12 July 2021 | |
| President | Bidya Devi Bhandari |
| Prime Minister | Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli |
| Preceded by | Dr. Yuba Raj Khatiwada |
| Succeeded by | Janardan Sharma |
| In office 5 November 2015 – 1 August 2016 | |
| President | Bidya Devi Bhandari |
| Prime Minister | Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli |
| Preceded by | Dr. Ram Saran Mahat |
| Succeeded by | Krishna Bahadur Mahara |
| Minister of Home Affairs of Nepal | |
| In office 24 June 2021 – 12 July 2021 | |
| President | Bidya Devi Bhandari |
| Prime Minister | Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli |
| Preceded by | Khagaraj Adhikari |
| Succeeded by | Bal Krishna Khand |
| Minister of Industry, Commerce and Supplies of Nepal | |
| In office 24 June 2021 – 12 July 2021 | |
| President | Bidya Devi Bhandari |
| Prime Minister | Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli |
| Preceded by | Raj Kishor Yadav |
| Succeeded by | Gajendra Bahadur Hamal |
| Minister of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation of Nepal | |
| In office 24 June 2021 – 12 July 2021 | |
| President | Bidya Devi Bhandari |
| Prime Minister | Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli |
| Preceded by | Sharat Singh Bhandari |
| Succeeded by | Pampha Bhusal |
| Minister of Defence | |
| In office 6 February 2011 – 29 August 2011 | |
| President | Ram Baran Yadav |
| Prime Minister | Jhala Nath Khanal |
| Preceded by | Bidya Devi Bhandari |
| Succeeded by | Baburam Bhattarai |
| Minister for Water Resources of Nepal | |
| In office 18 August 2008 – 25 May 2009 | |
| President | Ram Baran Yadav |
| Prime Minister | Pushpa Kamal Dahal |
| Preceded by | Chitra Lekha Yadav |
| Succeeded by | Prakash Sharan Mahat |
| In office October 1994 – May 1999 | |
| Preceded by | Hari Nepal |
| Constituency | Palpa 3 |
| Member of the Constituent Assembly / Legislature Parliament | |
| In office 28 May 2008 – 14 October 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Surya Prasad Pradhan (as MP) |
| Constituency | Rupandehi 4 |
| Member of Parliament, Pratinidhi Sabha | |
| In office 18 March 2018 – 12 September 2025 | |
| Succeeded by | Sulabh Kharel |
| Constituency | Rupandehi-2 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 20 November 1959 |
| Party | CPN (UML) (before 2018; 2021-present) |
Other political affiliations | Nepal Communist Party (NCP) (2018-2021) |
| Website | bishnuprasadpaudel |
He was a member of the House of Representatives elected from Rupandehi district, Parliamentary Constituency 2, in the election of the Federal Parliament held in 2017. He won the election with a huge margin of 22,000 votes at that time. During the second constituent assembly election in 2013, he defeated the former prime minister Baburam Bhattarai from Rupandehi 4.[3]
Paudel previously served as the Minister of Finance from 5 November 2015 to 1 August 2016 in the first cabinet of prime minister KP Sharma Oli. He also served as Minister of Defence from 6 February 2011 to 29 August 2011, under Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal and as the Minister for Water Resources from 18 August 2008 to 25 May 2009 under Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. He also served as the Minister for Youth, Sports and Culture in 1997 under Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand.
Early life
Bishnu Prasad Paudel was born to Devilal Paudel and Devaki Paudel on 20 November 1959 in Syangja, Nepal. He joined politics in 1976.
During the panchayat system in Nepal, he faced jail time.[4]
In 1977, he passed the SLC examination and moved to Rupendehi from Syangja to start a career as a primary school teacher. He was influenced by communist activists. He resigned from teaching and joined the Communist Party at the age of 18.
Paudel broke out of the Bhairahawa Jail and went back to the people's movement. Paudel was taken to Bhairahawa jail with three thousand rupees fine in charge of state of affairs after facing the case for three years. He revolted in the jail after 45 days comprehensive preparation.[citation needed]
Political positions
- Chief, Organization Department Communist Party of Nepal (UML) since April 2021
- General secretary, Communist Party of Nepal (NCP) since 2018
- Deputy general secretary, Communist Party of Nepal (UML), 2014 - 2018
- Secretary of Central Committee, Communist Party of Nepal (UML), 2009 - 2014
- Member of Standing Committee, Communist Party of Nepal (UML), 2003 - 2019
- Member of Central Committee, Communist Party of Nepal (UML) Since 1990
- Party member of CPN (ML/UML) since 1977
Electoral history
Paudel is a five time parliamentarian. He is one of the influential leaders of the Nepal Communist Party (UML) and had been served his third term as finance minister until Gen Z movement took place on August 8 and 9, 2025. PM KP Oli resigned on August, 9 due to the movement, in which he was a cabinet minister in Oli Government. He was elected from Palpa in the mid-term elections of 2051 and since then he has contested from Rupandehi in all five elections. He was elected four times and was defeated once in 2056. He is among the very few leaders who have been elected many times in the elections of both the party and parliament under the leadership of CPN-UML. He was an elected member in the 2nd Constituent Assembly from Rupandehi when he competed against former Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, who came third.[4] He won for a fifth time from the Rupandehi 2 in 2022.[5]
1994 Pratinidhi Sabha election Palpa-3
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPN-UML | Bishnu Prasad Paudel | 15,766 | Elected |
| Nepali Congress | Hari Prasad Nepal | 12,697 | Lost |
1999 Pratinidhi Sabha election Rupendehi-3
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nepali Congress | Surya Prasad Pradhan | 23,697 | Elected |
| CPN-UML | Bishnu Prasad Paudel | 23,033 | Lost |
2008 Constituent Assembly election Rupandehi-4
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPN-UML | Bishnu Prasad Paudel | 15,880 | Elected |
| CPN (Maoist) | Bhakti Prasad Pandey | 13,421 | Lost |
2013 Constituent Assembly election Rupandehi-4
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPN-UML | Bishnu Prasad Paudel | 19,577 | Elected |
| Nepali Congress | Surya Prasad Pradhan | 13,632 | Lost |
2017 Pratinidhi Sabha election Rupandehi-2
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPN-UML | Bishnu Prasad Paudel | 44,009 | Elected |
| Nepali Congress | Yubaraj Giri | 21,946 | Lost |
2022 Pratinidhi Sabha election Rupandehi-2
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPN-UML | Bishnu Prasad Paudel | 27,148 | Elected |
| Rastriya Swatantra Party | Ganesh Paudel | 25,781 | Lost |