NEW DELHI, May 1: Four years after stepping down as prime minister and blaming India for blatant interference in the internal affairs of Nepal, Maoist Chairman Prachanda paid a conciliatory visit to New Delhi to convince the Indian leadership of his party´s transformation from the path of revolution to that of evolution as a progressive force in Nepal.
He not only proposed to redefine Indo-Nepal relations on the basis of mutual cooperation and fresh understandings, but also urged India to work together with China for Nepal´s overall economic development.[break]
To a large extend, Dahal has succeeded in his effort to woo the Indian leadership in this regard. His meetings with the top Indian leaders have been termed "very positive" in New Delhi and there is by and large acceptance of the Maoist transition toward democracy in Nepal.
Dahal had three stated objectives for his visit -- to convey that his party has chosen a peaceful democratic polity over aggressive nationalism; to propose new beginnings in economic cooperation; and to encourage friendly relations with India. The same was true of his visit to China.
While Dahal has successfully conveyed to Delhi his party´s role and intensions in Nepal´s transition, the other two objectives remain to be met vis-a-vis India. While all protocol was broken in China for Dahal (the Chinese president held a meeting with him), in India meetings with President Pranab Mukherjee and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi could not materialise.
The message is clear - India recognizes the role played by Prachanda and the Maoist party but would want to see a mature leadership emerge in Nepal to successfully conclude the constitution writing process at the earliest.
Likewise, Dahal´s proposal on trilateral cooperation did not figure in his meetings on Tuesday and no mention was made about ethnic-based restructuring of Nepal under the new federal model. Dahal also avoided touching upon the 1950 India-Nepal Friendship Treaty, which is considered very provocative in bilateral relations.
India is also keen that Nepal addresses Indian security concerns. There is concern on the border management front, and particularly over the rise in number of madrasas across the border. This is an urgent issue for India and would demand immediate attention from the government of Nepal. Likewise, India is keen that Nepal sign the border strip map and allow it to fly in air marshals, among other things.
The Indian side has expressed full support for the upcoming polls and assured all assistance to Nepal in this regard. However, Delhi will still take a cautious way forward.
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