Nepal’s first woman President Bidhya Devi Bhandari has cancelled her visit to India, which would have been her first foreign trip after assuming office, in the wake of the political instability in her country.
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Reports said that the diplomat has been charged with siding with the Nepali Congress opposition in supporting a threat by the Maoist party to topple Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s government. A couple of days ago, the UCPN-Maoist which is a partner in the ruling Nepalese coalition government expressed desire to part ways with CPN-UML.
Nepal’s Ambassador to India Deep Kumar Upadhyay speaks with journalists at the Reporters’ Club Nepal, in Kathmandu, on Friday, January 8, 2016.
Even as Kathmandu dismissed speculation over a proposal to declare India’s ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Rae as “persona-non-grata” and expel him, New Delhi is closely monitoring moves by the Oli government and political developments in the neighbouring country.
Oli reportedly told Mr Upadhyay that “if you have such kind of reservation about the cancellation of the visit, you can quit”.
Sources in Nepal had said Mr Upadhaya – a former leader of the Nepali Congress – was seen as being “too close” to India. While India denies that it was responsible for the blockade which threatened to cripple Nepal’s economy, the fact is that the recent strain in India-Nepal relations has coincided with China surpassing India in the list of top aid donors to Nepal, Times of India in a report said on Monday.
The U-turn came about following a “secret agreement” between Oli and Prachanda during a dinner meeting on Wednesday, it is believed.
Reports have emerged alleging that the Indian ambassador was indulging in activities against Nepal.
On the invitation of her Indian counterpart Pranab Mukharjee, President Bhandari was to embark on her first official visit to India next week.
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The Nepalese Cabinet had made a decision to recall Upadhyaya after his brief conversation with the Prime Minister, they said.
