‘Yechury acted as a bridge in India-Nepal ties… death a setback for Left-democratic unity’

Meeting him after February 1996 — when we launched the ‘people’s war’ in Nepal — was not possible since we were underground, but we did maintain contact.

D P Tripathi, who was perhaps Yechury’s predecessor as JNU students’ union president, played a leading role in forming a solidarity group in India to extend support to the ‘people’s war’. The group also played a role in putting pressure on the Nepal government to go for a negotiated settlement. Comrade Yechury was positive towards this initiative.

We met again after a long gap once we joined the peace process in Nepal in 2003. I remember having a long discussion with Comrade Prakash Karat, then CP)(M) general secretary, and Yechury at AKG Bhawan, the party’s office in New Delhi.

Apart from playing a constructive role in Nepal’s peace process and democratic movement, Comrade Yechury contributed to promoting Nepal-India ties. In fact, he acted like a bridge, strengthening the relationship.

I have quit the communist Party as I realised that Left and democratic forces must work together for socialism — I found him closer to that approach.

His death is a big loss and a big setback to Left-democratic unity.

Baburam Bhattarai, former Prime Minister of Nepal, spoke to Yubaraj Ghimire in Kathmandu