# Bam Dev Gautam

Bam Dev Gautam (Nepali: बाम देव गौतम) is a Nepalese politician and the former Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal. A member of CPN (Unified Socialist), Gautam is a former Senior vice Chairman of Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist). He is currently a member of the National Assembly nominated by the President.
Gautam left Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) on 4 September 2021 and has not joined any party yet. It was reported that he may join CPN (Unified Socialist) or float a new party of his own soon. Later Gautam wrote an election song for CPN (Unified Socialist) after which he was thought to have joined that party. Gautam announced his own party on 28 June 2022, named Communist Party of Nepal (Unity National Campaign).

## Personal life

After completing his SLC, Gautam started teaching as a profession. He is married to Tulsa Thapa who is also a Member of House of Representatives.

## Political life
### Early political career

Bam dev Gautam joined the Communist party of Nepal in 1964 and participated in full-time party activities from Rupandehi District in 1969. He became District Secretary of CPN Rupandehi in 1972. He played a major role in establishing Mukti Morcha with Madan Bhandari and Jeev Raj Ashrit. He later became Central member of Communist Party of Nepal(Marxist–Leninist) in 1980. After the merger, he was made a Politburo member of CPN(UML) and also attained the position of Deputy General Secretary of the party.
He was elected MP from Bardiya Constituency No. 1 in first General Election 1991 and Mid Term Election 1994. Later he became the Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister in February 1997.

### Split of CPN (UML) and formation of CPN (ML)

Bam Dev Gautam played a major role in splitting the CPN(UML) over the issue of Mahakali treaty with India and later formed CPN(ML) on 5 March 1998. He was elected General Secretary of the party in March of that year.

### Merger to CPN (UML)

The party failed to get a single seat in House in next election. Later, Bam Dev Gautam again joined the CPN(UML).
On 31 August 2008, Bam Dev Gautam was appointed as the Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister in the Maoist-led Coalition Government.

### In federal democratic republican Nepal

In February 2009, Bam Dev Gautam was elected one of the vice-chairman of CPN(UML) in Butwal General Convention.
On 2 May 2010 during Maoist protests, Bam Dev Gautam called for the Prime Minister to resign to end the current political stalemate.
He was a member of the 2nd Nepalese Constituent Assembly. He won the Bardia–1 and Pyuthan-1 seat in CA assembly, 2013 from the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist).

### 2017-present

In he was defeated by Sanjay Gautam of Nepali Congress inspire of left alliance forged between CPN (UML) and CPN (Maoist Centre). Presently, he is a member of National Assembly nominated by President on recomentadion of council of ministers.

## Electoral history
### 2017 legislative elections

Bardiya 1 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Nepali Congress | Sanjay Kumar Gautam | 44,829 |
| | CPN (Unified Marxist–Leninist) | Bam Dev Gautam | 44,076 |
| | CPN (Marxist–Leninist) | Nar Bahadur Bohora | 2,372 |
| | Others | Others | 2,228 |
| Invalid votes | Invalid votes | Invalid votes | 5,948 |
| Result | Result | Congress gain | Congress gain |
| Source: Election Commission ||||

### 2013 Constituent Assembly election

Bardiya 1 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | CPN (Unified Marxist–Leninist) | Bam Dev Gautam | 18,347 |
| | UCPN (Maoist) | Bhuwan Kumar Tharu | 11,628 |
| | Nepali Congress | Bhuwaneshwar Chaudhary | 8,598 |
| | Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum, Nepal (Democratic) | Thakur Singh Tharu | 1,174 |
| | Others | Others | 3,595 |
| Result | Result | CPN (UML) gain | CPN (UML) gain |
| Source: NepalNews ||||
Pyuthan 1 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | CPN (Unified Marxist–Leninist) | Bam Dev Gautam | 13,962 |
| | Rastriya Janamorcha | Kishna Bahadur Khadka | 8,724 |
| | UCPN (Maoist) | Navaraj Subedi | 7,054 |
| | Nepali Congress | Hukum Bahadur Bista | 5,215 |
| | CPN (Marxist–Leninist) | Yam Bahadur Gurung | 1,017 |
| | Others | Others | 626 |
| Result | Result | CPN (UML) gain | CPN (UML) gain |
| Source: NepalNews ||||

### 2008 Constituent Assembly election

Bardiya 1 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | CPN (Maoist) | Sarala Regmi | 17,955 |
| | CPN (Unified Marxist–Leninist) | Bam Dev Gautam | 13,773 |
| | Nepali Congress | Malati Sodari | 6,831 |
| | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | Govinda Prasad Tharu | 2,324 |
| | CPN (Marxist–Leninist) | Nar Bahadur Bohora | 1,815 |
| | Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum, Nepal | Thakur Singh Tharu | 1,340 |
| | Others | | 1,154 |
| Invalid votes | Invalid votes | Invalid votes | 1,163 |
| Result | Result | Maoist gain | Maoist gain |
| Source: Election Commission ||||

#### 1999 legislative elections

Bardiya 1 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Nepali Congress | Kashi Paudel | 17,219 |
| | CPN (Marxist–Leninist) | Bam Dev Gautam | 13,247 |
| | CPN (Unified Marxist–Leninist) | Gobinda Prasad Koirala | 10,885 |
| | Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Chand) | Gaurav Chand | 1,646 |
| | Others | Others | 2,774 |
| Invalid votes | Invalid votes | Invalid votes | 1,490 |
| Result | Result | Congress gain | Congress gain |
| Source: Election Commission ||||

### 1994 legislative elections

Bardiya 1 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | CPN (Unified Marxist–Leninist) | Bam Dev Gautam | 16,933 |
| | Nepali Congress | Phul Ram Tharu | 10,949 |
| | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | Thakur Singh Tharu | 5,757 |
| Result | Result | CPN (UML) hold | CPN (UML) hold |
| Source: Election Commission ||||

### 1991 legislative elections

Bardiya 1 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | CPN (Unified Marxist–Leninist) | Bam Dev Gautam | 16,486 |
| | Nepali Congress | | 11,712 |
| Result | Result | CPN (UML) gain | CPN (UML) gain |
| Source: ||||