Talking to media after arrival back at Tribhuvan International Airport Tuesday from a four-day India visit, UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal said that this will make the country strong after converting into a federation. [break]
´Indian leaders suggested that it will be better if linguistic background is also taken as one of the bases for delineating the federal states,´ said Dahal.
He further informed that India wants to see the elections held in November.
´Indian Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh, main opposition Bharati Janata Party Chairman Raj Nath Singh and almost all Indian leaders want to see Nepal holding elections by November,´ added Dahal.
Dahal had flown to India on Saturday with his wife Sita, Maoist leader Krishna Bahadur Mahara and aide Shiv Khakurel. During his visit, Dahal failed to meet United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairman Sonia Gandhi.
Dahal had gone to India to bring trilateral investment to Nepal. But before Dahal left for Delhi, Indian Minister for Foreign Affairs Salman Khursid had rejected the idea, saying it was not possible now.
´I forwarded this proposal and they spoke of trilateral investment in Nepal only after bilateral relations became better,´ said Dahal adding that he had proposed investment by China and India in Lumbini and in mega hydro projects.
Talks with Manmohan
Dahal told media that the Indian prime minister said the formation of the CJ-led government was the result of sacrifice by the political parties.
According to Dahal, he talked with Singh about economic development, and mainly tourism, hydropower and Lumbini.
´I talked with Dr Singh about the entire foreign policy,´ added Dahal.
Reviewed bitter past
He also said that his visit has removed past bitterness between the Indian establishment and his party.
After the sacking of then army chief Rukmangud Katawal, relations got worse. Then Dahal time and again tried to improve matters, realizing that he would not have a chance to get back into power without the positive attitude of India.
´We learned lessons from positive and negative experiences and I came to know that India also reached the same conclusions,´ added Dahal.
He also said he found the Indian leaders had positive views about Nepal"s economic development and political stability.
´The visit formed a new basis of trust. Earlier, there was a communications gap and as a result confusion was created,´ said Dahal, further informing that his visit has removed all such confusions and laid the foundation for trust between India and his party.
He said China and India both want political stability as well development in Nepal. And they are ready to help.
Talking about foreign policy, India has the same policy even after changes of government. He argued that Nepal also should form a policy which is common to all.
´My self-confidence has increased that we also can form a foreign policy through discussions among all the political parties,´ he said.
´China and India both are worried about economic development in Nepal. The upcoming decade will be a decade of rapid progress if we show resolve and determination for development,´ added Dahal.
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