Kathmandu: Kamal Thapa, former Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Nepal, and the leader of Rasriya Prajatantra Party Nepal, most recently the author of Nakabandi Ra Bhurajniti (Blockade and Geopolitics), has faulted Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and Maoist Center, the three major parities which have ruled the country since the abolition of monarchy in 2008, for their insidious role in jeopardizing the future and prospects of infrastructure development projects in Nepal.
UML created the situation whereby Arun III, that was going to be built by the World Bank, was submitted to India, Maoist Center made uncertain the future of Budhi Gandaki project which was initially awarded to a Chinese company, and Nepali Congress obstructed BRI implementation in Nepal, Thapa wrote on social media. “They are the viruses of this country.”
Developing countries have to take concessional loan for economic development as well as for the prosperity especially at a time when the donors are cutting down grants, Thapa mentioned on social media. Economic potentials, however, have to be considered while taking loans, he said.
Thapa’s remarks come at a time while Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is in his official visit to China during which some agreements on BRI projects were expected. None of the agreements signed with China thus far, however, have spelled out BRI projects.
Thapa was a key figure in KP Oli’s cabinet during the 2015 Indian blockade against Nepal which, for the first time in many years, raised the need for Nepal to expand connectivity with China, which BRI projects, many believed, would help materialize when Nepal signed the framework agreement with China in 2017.
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