Kathmandu, July 3 -- Former President Bidya Devi Bhandari has officially informed the Ministry of Home Affairs that she will not be availing herself of any state-provided services and privileges afforded to former heads of state.

Her private secretariat submitted a formal letter to the ministry on Wednesday confirming the decision.

The move follows Bhandari's recent announcement of her return to active politics as a member of the CPN-UML, ending her nearly decade-long hiatus from party politics after serving two consecutive terms as President of Nepal.

Speaking at a programme organised to mark the 74th birth anniversary of the late communist leader Madan Kumar Bhandari, she declared on Saturday that her mission to build a prosperous Ne...