 Citing the oppression of the poor, the expropriation of her father's possessions, murder of her brother, Rit Bhadkur Khadka, by security forces, she participated in the 1990 People's Movement protests to liberalize the absolute monarchy.She later joined the Maoists in 1996 with the outbreak of the civil war initiated to introduce a People's Republic.During the civil war, Khadka served as founding chair of the Maoist-affiliated All Nepal Women's Association (Revolutionary).