Communist Party of India (Marxist) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury, who played an important role during Nepal’s second jana andolan (people’s movement) in 2006 to help political parties in the country forge consensus, is here on a three-day visit.
On arrival on Sunday evening, Mr. Yechury met Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal. On Monday, he called on President Ram Baran Yadav and Maoist leader Krishna Bahadur Mahara.
It is learnt that Nepal’s peace process, the task of Constitution writing and the latest political developments were discussed during his meeting with the President. He is also meeting Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala, Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) chairman Jhalanath Khanal.
Though Nepal has only three months left to write a new Constitution, the parties have not been able to break the deadlock. The major Opposition, Maoists, have been demanding a new government under their leadership. They resigned from the government in May following the controversial sacking and reinstatement of the then Army chief, General Rookmangud Katawal.
Recently, the coalition allies, the CPN-UML and the Nepali Congress, indicated that they might not have any problem in letting the Maoists form a joint national government, provided they created an atmosphere of trust; returned seized property, private and public; dissolved the paramilitary structure of their youth wing, the Young Communist League.
Against the backdrop of these developments, Mr. Yechury’s visit is seen with interest.
