While the party has conspicuously avoided its long-held demand of ´scrapping the unequal treaty of 1950´ with India, the former rebel party has also avoided using the term ´Indian expansionism´ anywhere in its manifesto. Instead, the party has offered an alternative of making a review and revising ´anti-national´ treaties as needed. [break]
Also, the Maoist party, which saw split in May 2012 after the Mohan Baidya group formed a new party alleging that Maoist top leadership adopted ´policy of surrender´ with India, has also proposed settling border disputes with India ´through diplomatic´ channels. Previously, the party had proposed that border disputes concerning Kalapani and Susta should be settled immediately.
What is more noticeable in the Maoist manifesto this time is, there is no mention of closing the Gurkha recruitment center. The Maoists during the previous CA election had vociferously advocated for bringing an end to the current practice of allowing Nepali citizens to join foreign armies.
Analysts see this as a tactical move by the Maoists to appease India and come to power. “This is a U-turn by the Maoists regarding their stance on India. This shows that the nationalist agenda the Maoists raised before were all fake,” argued leftist analyst Mumaram Khanal.
Khanal alleged that the Maoists are compromising even on genuine national agenda, apparently to court India. “This was one of the main reasons behind the split in the Maoist party. The Maoists have completely deviated from their original demands,” he said.
The Maoist party softened its stance after its general convention held in February endorsed Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal´s political document, which avoided terming India as its ´principal enemy´. The document instead envisages embracing a ´capitalist revolution´ by abandoning its previous line of ´people´s revolution´. At that time, the Maoist move was hailed by many as the party´s transformation into a pragmatic political force.
The Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, however, have made no substantial changes in their international relations as compared to the manifesto they made public during the previous CA election. Nevertheless, both the parties have admitted to the fact that foreign interference in Nepal´s internal affairs had grown unusually in recent years. So much so that the UML, which is scheduled to make public its manifesto on Tuesday, has clearly mentioned that the fate of last CA was affected due to controversial foreign interests.
Related story
Thai embassy organizing "Journey to Thailand & Top Thai Brands...
