By Our Reporter
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda is now preparing to pay a visit to India in a bid to woo the Indian leadership so that he does not have to feel insecure about Kathmandu’s throne as in 2008.
The PM learnt a lesson during his first stint as Prime Minister that he could not survive in power for a long time without pleasing India. Then he had first flown to China breaching the practice of visiting India by any PM elected in Nepal. And his Beijing trip during the 2008 Olympics became costly, he had to step down in nine months despite emerging as the most powerful party in the 2008 Constituent Assembly elections.
The Indian media has reported that Prime Minister Dahal is likely to visit India on April 28.
The appointment of NP Saud as Foreign Minister was a step towards easing his Indian tour.
It is reported in the Indian media that the date was proposed by India to the government.
However, the Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday did not discuss the issue, as briefed by Communication and Information Technology Minister Rekha Sharma after the meeting She clarified that there was no discussion in Tuesday’s cabinet meeting regarding the Prime Minister’s upcoming India visit.
It is not clear what agendas the two prime ministers will discuss. But many suspects in Kathmandu that PM Prachanda is likely to offer a few more hydro projects to India during his three-day sojourn.
Air routes via Bhairahawa and Kathmandu-Raxaul railways could be other agendas. However, border issues may not be raised considering the situation of the power equation in Kathmandu, because NC, the key party in the present ruling coalition does not dare to raise such issues.
NP Saud Foreign Minister in Delhi’s choice?
Narayan Prakash Saud has been appointed as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Nanda Chapai as Minister of State for Physical Infrastructure and Transportation.
President Ram Chandra Paudel appointed Saud as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Chapai as Minister of State for Physical Infrastructure and Transportation at the recommendation of the Prime Minister as per Article 76 (9) of the Constitution, read a statement issued by the Office of the President on Sunday.
Newly appointed Minister Saud and State Minister Chapai were administered the oath of office and secrecy at a special ceremony organised at the Office of the President on Sunday itself.
Saud is from the Nepali Congress and Chapai is from the CPN (Unified Socialist).
After taking the oath, Minister Saud reached Singh Durbar and assumed his office.
While assuming his office at the Foreign Ministry in Singha Durbar, Minister Saud said that the government would push forward the preparations for the Prime Minister’s visit to India.
He said he would immediately forward the required process for the PM’s visit to India.
Responding to the queries of journalists, he said that he would collect information from the Secretary and other officials of the Ministry who are working on the Prime Minister’s upcoming India visit. Saud to the Ministry.
Saud’s appointment as Minister was postponed at the last moment on March 31 when the rival faction of Nepali Congress demanded at least four ministers from their side, prompting party president Sher Bahadur Deuba to send the names of only four of the eight ministers the party was allotted in the government.
Since the formation of the present coalition government, New Delhi’s micro-management in Nepal affairs has inclined, say political observers. It is said that the election of Ramchandra Paudel to the post of president was in Delhi’s interests. Accordingly, Saud’s appointment was made after pressure from Delhi.
Indian ambassador Naveen Srivastava became the first diplomat to congratulate the new foreign minister. Ambassador Srivastava reached the Foreign Ministry to congratulate FM Saud immediately after the latter took the oath of office.
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