Agencies, New Delhi :
Red Flags celebrate the communist win in Nepal, with the Left Alliance that had campaigned on a call to counter India’s dominance set to form the next government, throwing up what is seen as a Himalayan challenge for India. Khadga Prasad Oli, widely expected to be the new Prime Minister in all likelihood of this combine, has made no qualms of his proximity to China.
The Left Alliance bagged 116 seats out of a total 165 under the first-past-the-post system in the parliamentary elections. The ruling centrist Nepali Congress, which was seen to be close to India, ended up with less than two dozen seats.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar welcomed the conduct of parliamentary and provincial elections in the neighbourhood. “We look forward to working with the next democratically elected government in Nepal to advance our close and multifaceted partnership,” he said.
Back in Kathmandu too, leaders of the Left alliance have also stressed Left party alliance which is set to form the next government would neither be “anti-India” nor “pro-China”.
India’s considerable influence on the small Himalayan nation and its politics has been on the wane after it took a hard stance on the new constitution in 2015 that was seen to be unfair to the Madhesis, an ethnic group with close ties to people in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
An agitation by Madhesi groups against the constitution was perceived in Kathmandu to have India’s tacit support. So when the movement of trucks carrying food and fuel into the landlocked nation reduced to a trickle during protests by Madhesi groups, the Oli-Prachanda government stoked ultra nationalism by alleging that the blockade was a case of a big bully arm-twisting Nepal.
New Delhi denied a blockade was imposed and cited a reduced supply to a security concerns due to the protests. But the Left Alliance’s narrative influenced public opinion.
Mr Oli, who was forced to resign last year, had accused India of bringing down his government by forcing Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal, popularly known as Prachanda, to withdraw support to his government through “remote control”.
After a short-lived government formed along with the Nepali Congress which was seen to have India’s support, Prachanda came back to join hands with Communist Party of Nepal (UML) chairman KP Oli under the Left Alliance.
The alliance backed by China has pledged to renegotiate treaties with India during much of its campaign, and deepen ties with Beijing.
PTI adds: Nepal’s Left party alliance which is set to form the next government would neither be “antiIndia” nor “pro-China” and maintain good relations with both the countries, a CPN-UML leader has said.
“Both (India and China) are our neighbours, we respect both neighbours. India is our neighbour. No Nepali will be anti-Indian,” said Ishwor Pokhrel, general secretary of the CPN-UML.
He stressed that his party was neither “anti-India” nor “pro-China”, with Nepal having many existing trade and transit agreements with New Delhi, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.
The Left alliance bagged 116 seats out of a total 165 under the first-past-the-post system in the just-concluded parliamentary polls. The governing centrist Nepali Congress has won just 21.
CPN-UML chairman Khadga Prasad, who is known for his pro-China stance, is tipped to become the new prime minister of the country.
Ishwor Pokhrel said the new government would be keen to develop ties with China, which he described as a “friend” who respected Nepalese sovereignty.
“We have to maintain good relations with China. We respect the one-China policy and we are very strictly against anti-Chinese activities,” he said, in an apparent reference to Tibetans crossing over to Nepal to meet the Dalai Lama.
Ishwor Pokhrel said that after assuming power, the new government would implement a 15-point joint communique signed by KP Sharma Oli and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in March 2016 that covered transportation, trade and financial cooperation.
The Nepal government will also approve infrastructure projects with China after a majority government is formed in mid-January, including railway projects, motorways and hydroelectric schemes such as the Budhi Gandaki dam.
The Budhi Gandaki dam project was originally planned with state-owned China Gezhouba Group, but it was cancelled by the government on the eve of the elections, citing irregularities.
The procurement process for the dam project will be studied again, but it is not certain if the contract will be given to China Gezhouba, a Chinese construction and engineering company based in Wuhan, Hubei province.
“When Oli will become the prime minister, then we will take [the agreements] very seriously,” Ishwor Pokhrel was quoted as saying by the report.
“Nepal is keen to get involved in China’s Belt and Road trade and infrastructure initiative with other nations,” he added.
Red Flags celebrate the communist win in Nepal, with the Left Alliance that had campaigned on a call to counter India’s dominance set to form the next government, throwing up what is seen as a Himalayan challenge for India. Khadga Prasad Oli, widely expected to be the new Prime Minister in all likelihood of this combine, has made no qualms of his proximity to China.
The Left Alliance bagged 116 seats out of a total 165 under the first-past-the-post system in the parliamentary elections. The ruling centrist Nepali Congress, which was seen to be close to India, ended up with less than two dozen seats.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar welcomed the conduct of parliamentary and provincial elections in the neighbourhood. “We look forward to working with the next democratically elected government in Nepal to advance our close and multifaceted partnership,” he said.
Back in Kathmandu too, leaders of the Left alliance have also stressed Left party alliance which is set to form the next government would neither be “anti-India” nor “pro-China”.
India’s considerable influence on the small Himalayan nation and its politics has been on the wane after it took a hard stance on the new constitution in 2015 that was seen to be unfair to the Madhesis, an ethnic group with close ties to people in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
An agitation by Madhesi groups against the constitution was perceived in Kathmandu to have India’s tacit support. So when the movement of trucks carrying food and fuel into the landlocked nation reduced to a trickle during protests by Madhesi groups, the Oli-Prachanda government stoked ultra nationalism by alleging that the blockade was a case of a big bully arm-twisting Nepal.
New Delhi denied a blockade was imposed and cited a reduced supply to a security concerns due to the protests. But the Left Alliance’s narrative influenced public opinion.
Mr Oli, who was forced to resign last year, had accused India of bringing down his government by forcing Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal, popularly known as Prachanda, to withdraw support to his government through “remote control”.
After a short-lived government formed along with the Nepali Congress which was seen to have India’s support, Prachanda came back to join hands with Communist Party of Nepal (UML) chairman KP Oli under the Left Alliance.
The alliance backed by China has pledged to renegotiate treaties with India during much of its campaign, and deepen ties with Beijing.
PTI adds: Nepal’s Left party alliance which is set to form the next government would neither be “antiIndia” nor “pro-China” and maintain good relations with both the countries, a CPN-UML leader has said.
“Both (India and China) are our neighbours, we respect both neighbours. India is our neighbour. No Nepali will be anti-Indian,” said Ishwor Pokhrel, general secretary of the CPN-UML.
He stressed that his party was neither “anti-India” nor “pro-China”, with Nepal having many existing trade and transit agreements with New Delhi, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.
The Left alliance bagged 116 seats out of a total 165 under the first-past-the-post system in the just-concluded parliamentary polls. The governing centrist Nepali Congress has won just 21.
CPN-UML chairman Khadga Prasad, who is known for his pro-China stance, is tipped to become the new prime minister of the country.
Ishwor Pokhrel said the new government would be keen to develop ties with China, which he described as a “friend” who respected Nepalese sovereignty.
“We have to maintain good relations with China. We respect the one-China policy and we are very strictly against anti-Chinese activities,” he said, in an apparent reference to Tibetans crossing over to Nepal to meet the Dalai Lama.
Ishwor Pokhrel said that after assuming power, the new government would implement a 15-point joint communique signed by KP Sharma Oli and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in March 2016 that covered transportation, trade and financial cooperation.
The Nepal government will also approve infrastructure projects with China after a majority government is formed in mid-January, including railway projects, motorways and hydroelectric schemes such as the Budhi Gandaki dam.
The Budhi Gandaki dam project was originally planned with state-owned China Gezhouba Group, but it was cancelled by the government on the eve of the elections, citing irregularities.
The procurement process for the dam project will be studied again, but it is not certain if the contract will be given to China Gezhouba, a Chinese construction and engineering company based in Wuhan, Hubei province.
“When Oli will become the prime minister, then we will take [the agreements] very seriously,” Ishwor Pokhrel was quoted as saying by the report.
“Nepal is keen to get involved in China’s Belt and Road trade and infrastructure initiative with other nations,” he added.
