My first ‘political visit’ will be to India, says Prachanda

Nepal’s new Premier said his maiden ‘political’ trip will be to New Delhi and that it will take place ‘very soon’.

Amid criticism of his move to visit China first instead of India after assuming office, Nepal’s new Premier Prachanda on Wednesday said his maiden “political” trip will be to New Delhi and that it will take place “very soon.”

Prachanda, who undertook a five-day visit to Beijing to attend the closing ceremony of the Olympics, was criticised in the political circle here for visiting China first in a sharp departure from tradition where India has been the first port of call for most of the previous Nepalese prime ministers.

“My first political visit will be to India,” the Nepalese Prime Minister told reporters at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu after arriving from China.

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Prachanda, the chief of the CPN-Maoist party, said his visit to India will take place “very soon.”

The former guerrilla leader also noted that Nepal-India traditional ties were characterised by religious and cultural similarities.

He said his CPN-Maoist’s cooperation with India started when it reached a 12-point agreement with political parties of Nepal in Delhi, “which cannot be undermined.”

Prachanda, who met Chinese President Hu Jintao and other political leaders during his stay in Beijing, termed his Beijing visit as “fruitful”.

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He, however, said he visited China merely to attend the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games.

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