KATHMANDU, Oct 26: Chairman of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Pushpa Kamal Dahal has left for New Delhi for a day-long visit.
Dahal flew for New Delhi at 9:45 am Friday. Bishnu Sapkota, the press advisor to Chairman Dahal, told Republica Online that Dahal will attend the inaugural session of “The India Ideas Conclave” under the theme of “Citizens’ Manifesto – Churn of Ideas”, an annual conclave being organized by the India Foundation in the Indian Capital New Delhi.
Talking to reporters at the Tribhuvan International Airport before his departure, Dahal said that he is going to deliver speech on the political developments of Nepal and South Asia during the event. "I will also talk about India-Nepal relations briefly," he added.
Chairman Dahal also said he would not meet any Indian political leaders during his one-day visit to New Delhi this time.
Chairman Dahal arrives in New Delhi
The India Foundation has been organizing the event annually to bring together a luminary gathering of policy makers and public intellectuals from India and abroad.
Dahal is returning to Kathmandu on Friday evening.
Dahal’s visit to New Delhi comes in less than two months after he visited New Delhi. During his last visit, Dahal had spent three days in New Delhi and met with top Indian politicians including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Analysts in Kathmandu described the visit of Dahal at the invitation of the think-tank that is considered close to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as ‘meaningful’.
Chief Minister of Indian State of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath, Indian Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitely, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh, and Indian Union ministers Piyush Goyal, Suresh Prabhu, Jayant Sinha, Hardeep Singh Puri and Satyapal Singh will also attend the conclave, according to a press release issued by the foundation.
During the event, Jaitley will deliver the maiden Atal Bihari Vajpayee memorial lecture. Jaitley, a BJP leader, will be delivering the lecture on the topic of "Indian democracy-its maturity and challenges", it said.
Among the issues to be discussed during the three-day event include the agenda for national unity, inclusive economic prosperity, social equilibrium, good governance, politics of accountability and peace. Issues like global aspirations of India, citizens' agenda and media and citizens' agenda and judiciary, the press release added. The fifth “India Ideas Conclave” will conclude on October 28.
