Amid political chaos in Nepal, a high-level Chinese delegation, led by a vice minister of the Communist Party of China on Sunday called on Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari ahead of meeting other top leaders to mend differences between the two warring factions of the ruling Nepal Communist Party.
Vice Minister of the International Department of the CPC Guo Yezhou, who arrived in Nepal on Sunday morning met President Bhandari at the Rastrapati Bhawan. “They discussed matters relating to further strengthening centuries-old bilateral relations,” said an official at the President’s office.
Guo, who personally knows all senior Nepal Communist Party (NCP) leaders, is scheduled to meet Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli on Monday, according to sources. He will also hold meetings with senior political leaders including NCP’s executive chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda”, senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal, who has replaced Oli as chairman of the Prachanda-led faction of the party, and chairman of Janata Samajwadi Party Baburam Bhattarai.
As per reports, Guo’s visit is aimed at “taking stock of Nepal’s evolving political situation after the dissolution of the House of Representatives and subsequent split in the ruling NCP amid already-deepened intra-party rift”.
Apparently, China is not happy with the split in the largest communist party of Nepal, according to sources. Guo will make efforts to patch up differences between the two warring factions of the ruling party – one led by Oli and the other led by Prachanda – during his four day stay in Nepal.
Nepal plunged into a political crisis last Sunday after Prime Minister Oli, known for his pro-Beijing leanings, recommended dissolving the 275-member House, amidst a tussle for power with Prachanda.
Acting on the prime minister’s recommendation, President Bhandari dissolved the House the same day and announced fresh elections on April 30 and May 10, sparking protests from a large section of the NCP led by Prachanda, also a co-chair of the ruling party.
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