Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is believed to have suggested to Chinese Ambassador Hou Yanqi last week that he is capable of handling challenges within his party without the help of other countries, according to people familiar with the matter.
The comments by Oli, the people who asked not to be identified, may have been sparked by events in his Communist Party of Nepal (PNC). A faction of the party, led by former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has become strident in its opposition to Oli. HT learns that Oli has told his supporters that he is open to a split in the party, an eventuality that China has been trying to avoid. China has been seen as playing the role of a peacemaker in the PNC in the past.
The prime minister’s change of posture comes at a time when he is making a concerted effort to repair ties with New Delhi and get the two countries to initiate discussions over the differences over Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh.
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An observer from Nepal in India said Prime Minister Oli’s shift in approach could be attributed to an attempt to regain the nationalist agenda that was the mainstay of his campaign that resulted in the PNC’s victory in 2018, which China lately seemed indifferent to. his continuation in government If this helps to avoid a split in the party, it is also believed to have contributed to Oli’s position.
Interestingly, China’s Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe is visiting Nepal over the weekend and it is expected that some of the talks he has could be related to PNC affairs.
“General Wei will spend four hours at the army headquarters,” said a diplomat in Kathmandu on condition of anonymity, suggesting that the Chinese approach to the army could also be related to the political change in the government.
Also read: India could resume Foreign Secretary-level dialogue with Nepal. There is a condition
Until November, Oli faced unusually sharp attacks from Prachanda, who had published a 19-page document highly critical of the prime minister. Oli is expected to present his counterproposal at the communist party meeting Saturday meeting of the nine-member secretariat comprising the most important leaders of the CPN, although a discussion on this is likely only to be later.
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