Kathmandu, 26 April: Today is the 22nd Memorial Day of Manmohan Adhikari, the first elected Communist Prime Minister of Nepal and the first Chairman of the UML. Adhikari had passed away on April 26, 1999 in connection with the election campaign. Adhikari died while undergoing treatment after he suddenly fainted at a program organized in Gothatar, Kathmandu. Adhikari was the UML candidate from Kathmandu Constituency Nos. 1 and 3 in that election.
Adhikari was elected from Sunsari Constituency No. 1 in the 048 BS general election and from Kathmandu Constituency No. 3 in the 2051 BS election.

For the first time in Nepal, the Manmohan Singh-led government had provided a monthly allowance to the elderly who have completed 75 years of age under the social security program. UML has been giving continuity to it. After the unification of the then ML and Marxists and the formation of the CPN-UML in 2047 BS, Manmohan became the chairman of the CPN-UML. He was the UML Chairman for life. After Manmohan’s death, the UML had left the post vacant. UML had arranged the chairperson only from the eighth general convention of 2008. Adhikari had played an important role in democratizing the communist movement of Nepal even in the Indian freedom struggle against the British. Adhikari, who led the historic labor movement in Biratnagar in 2003 BS, is also the first labor leader in Nepal.