KATHMANDU, March 10: Nepal´s political landscape is heating up again with top leaders of political parties critical of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) scheduled to visit India´s capital. [break]
The visits come at a time when ex-king Gyanendra is already touring India on "family" trip.
The visits have led to exchange of charges and counter-charges, with the Maoists seeing the health check-up as ruse for political meetings in New Delhi. On the other hand, Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) term the visits normal and blame the Maoists´ "heightened insecurity" for non-existent conspiracy.
Nepali Congress president and former prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Chairman of Rastriya Janashakti Party and ex-prime minister Surya Bahadur Thapa are leaving for New Delhi on Wednesday.
The Maoists who lead the government see it a "political" coincidence and are amused that so many leaders are taking ill at the same time
"Leaders taking to illness at the same time is a strange coincidence," Dr Baburam Bhattarai, deputy leader of the Maoist party in parliament, told myrepublica.com. He was almost chuckling, adding that this was not a natural coincidence but a political one.
Koirala who suffers from lung ailment is scheduled for a check-up at New Delhi´s Apollo Hospital. Home Minister and Vice-chairman of CPN (Unified Marxist-Leninist) Bam Dev Gautam checked into the hospital on Monday. He is suffering from multiple ailments, among them being facial nerve paralysis, chest, Herpes Zoster (skin-related illness).
Although some prominent Nepali and Indian newspapers said that UML leader K P Oli is in New Delhi for political parleys, he returned to Kathmandu a few days ago after a check-up. Oli is a staunch critic of the Maoist party.
"We are not against visits by leaders to foreign countries," he said. "The only thing is that such visits should not be used for conspiracy against the country and the Nepali people."
Dr Bhattarai himself had alleged that Gyanendra was in India to canvass support for his grandson to be the monarch. This proposal was first mooted, in November 2007, by the then prime minister Koirala before monarchy was formally abolished. Gyanendra had rejected the proposal.
Dr Shekhar Koirala from Nepali Congress and Pradip Gyawali from the CPN-UML have dismissed the conspiracy behind these visits. Both these leaders played a big role in drafting the 12-point agreement between the then seven-party alliance and the then outlawed Maoists in New Delhi in November 2005. This agreement paved the way for a successful joint campaign against Gyanedra Shah who had imposed his direct rule after his February First (2005) coup.
Former PM Koirala indeed is scheduled to visit prominent Indian leaders, including Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Congress (I) president Sonia Gandhi and BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani, among others.
Some Maoist leaders in recent days have been claiming that opposition political parties have been conspiring to topple the Maoist-led government.
While Dr Koirala termed Maoists´ conspiracy theory as "disease of suspicion", Gyawali said the Maoists have developed a complex that emanates from their "lack of self-confidence".
"Look, it is natural for Indian leaders to meet Girija babu out of courtesy," Dr Koirala said. "There is nothing conspiratorial in this."
Gyawali said the Maoists are increasingly seeing conspiracy behind every thing to cover up their "failure" in governance. "So they blame the bureaucracy, political parties and foreign powers to divert attention from their failure."
Dr Koirala agreed, saying the Maoists have not been able to run a functioning government. "They take decision under emotion, are forced to retract it and then blame us."
Maoist leader Dr Bhattarai contested the claim. "We have our self-confidence," he said. "We don´t think we have done anything wrong that needs a cover-up."
Gyawali admitted there indeed was increased interest by foreign powers but said this was not unusual given the situation in Nepal.
The NC leader went a step further. "Who will speak of their (Maoists´) connection with (foreign powers)?" he questioned.
When asked whether he was referring to Maoists´ close ties with China, Dr Koirala said it was not just the northern neighbor. "How many times have the European diplomats met the Maoists leaders compared to other political parties?"
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