NEW DELHI: Seeking to repair the damage caused by the recent fighting in bilateral relations, India and Nepal have been exploring ways to restart the participation process. However, just when India thought the time had finally come for this, another wave of political uncertainty hit Nepal with the rival faction in the government. Communist party directed by PK Dahal Prachanda again looking at the prime minister of the press band KP Sharma Oli to resign.
A report from the Kathmandu agency said that Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi had met with Oli on Tuesday to defuse the crisis, but there was no official confirmation of the meeting’s agenda.
While a final decision is still awaited on whether Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla will visit Nepal later this month, the sources said the two countries have also discussed the possibility of holding virtual meetings between the trade and energy secretaries. .
Nepal had also proposed dates for a boundary working group meeting this month, but that will likely have to wait because the meeting involves field work that may not be possible due to the pandemic.
With Oli and his ministers toning down the rhetoric about the Kalapani border dispute, Indian Army Chief MM Naravane visited Kathmandu earlier this month and asked the Prime Minister of Nepal to discuss ways to expand defense cooperation. Both parties seemed satisfied with the outcome of the visit.
However, amid efforts to rebuild ties with India, the crisis in the ruling party resurfaced late last week when Nepalese media reported that Dahal had asked Oli to make “sacrifices” to save the party. . This was interpreted as another call for the resignation of Oli by the co-chair of the ruling party due to the alleged incompetence and lack of government of the prime minister. Dahal has apparently refused to withdraw a document in which he had listed several examples of Oli’s alleged failures. the Communist Party of Nepal On the brink of a break with Oli, it is unlikely that he will walk away without resistance.
Hou’s meeting with Oli on Tuesday also drew attention in Kathmandu, although it is not yet clear what the agenda was. The Chinese embassy has made no secret of the fact that China’s interests reside in a united communist party. The Kathmandu Post quoted its spokesperson in July, when Oli faced a similar crisis, saying China did not want to see the Communist Party of Nepal in trouble and wanted “the leaders to resolve their differences and stick together.”
Despite his pro-China image and his decision to rush to validate the controversial map of Nepal that shows Indian territories on it, Oli appears to be striking a balancing act for now. His decision to remove Ishwor Pokharel, who had been critical of the Indian army chief, as defense minister, was seen by some as a positive sign for India, although it probably also had to do with the party’s internal politics. Later, he also faced questions for violating protocol by having a meeting with RAW’s visiting chief, Samant Goel, this month in the absence of any official from the Nepal Foreign Ministry. However, Goel’s visit was a sign that India was finally considering having a more substantive engagement with Nepal, including a possible meeting between the foreign secretaries in which the Kalapani dispute would also emerge.
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