Kathmandu: The CPN-UML, Nepal’s largest communist party which leads the government with Nepali Congress as its coalition partner, took strong exception to the remarks by former prime minister and Maoist Center Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal that Prime Minister KP Oli is playing a China card by taking the decision to make his first bilateral trip to China, instead of India.
Nepali PMs usually make New Delhi their first port of call soon after their appointments—the matter traditionally interpreted as the indication of New Delhi’s good gesture to the heads of the government in Nepal.
Dahal, the leader of the second largest communist party of Nepal which projects itself to be close to China as much as, or even more than, UML, was Oli’s immediate predecessor. Two communist parties in the past have built coalitions to form the government several times.
CPN-UML said on Saturday that Dahal’s ‘China card’ remarks are deeply damaging to Nepal’s sovereign image and foreign policy. Dahal’s statements “are a blatant breach of diplomatic protocol and show a complete disregard for Nepal’s independence,” UML said in its statement. UML said that PM’s decision to visit China “is a reflection of Nepal’s independent foreign policy, not a gambit of ‘card diplomacy” adding that Prachanda’s remarks “undermine the delicate balance Nepal maintains with its two friendly neighbors India and China, both of whom are part to Nepal’s development and prosperity.”
The two-party political mechanism, composed of leaders from Nepali Congress and UML, announced Oli’s formal visit to China in early December. Oli’s Beijing trip is supposed to be focused on materializing BRI projects and realization of past agreements between Nepal and China.
During his interview with Suhasini Haider of The Hindu on November 14, Dahal had said that Nepal-India relations are not on right track after he was ousted three months ago. “What is happening in Nepal at present after my government was ousted, is wrong, vis-à-vis India- this is not right,” he said. Responding to a question related to Oli’s upcoming Beijing trip Dahal said making China the first port of call is the “proof of the immaturity of the present government led by PM Oli.” The Hindu mentioned Dahal as saying: “They should have shown some maturity in their ties with both the neighbouring countries. KP-ji is going to China for a bilateral visit, but it seems this visit is more about using the ‘China card’, which is wrong. Our history, culture and geography dictate that we must balance our relationship, and he must acknowledge Nepal’s unique relationship with India before going [to China]. This should not have happened.”
Nepali PM going to the north first after assuming office is often interpreted as New Delhi giving the cold shoulder to the ruler in Kathmandu.
On their part, leaders in Kathmandu do not hesitate to blame New Delhi when the governments led by them change. Dahal was the one who blamed New Delhi for toppling down his government in 2009. Most recently, PM Oli also said that he was removed from office in 2016 for taking a firm stand against the 2015 blockade by India.
It may be recalled that Dahal, when he was the PM in 2008, had made China his first port of call, which reportedly ‘upset’ India.
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