Prachanda sets off for China

KATHMANDU: Unified CPN-Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ today said that the end of the ongoing political stalemate would be declared during the tea reception to be organised by his party on October 20.

Addressing mediapersons at the Tribhuvan International Airport before leaving for Beijing, China, Dahal informed that the top leaders were on the final stage of preparing the much-talked high-level political mechanism. The decision to that end would also be declared at the same tea party, he said. Dahal also hinted at seeking support from the northern neighbour. “We need our neighbours’ support to end the ongoing political impasse,” he added.

Meanwhile, Prachanda informed that despite insistence from the Communist Party of China (CPC), he could not visit China due to the fall of his government.

“We managed this visit this time although some three months ago, a delegation led by one of the politburo member of the CPC had invited us for the purpose,” he said. He also claimed that the relationship between the two parties was taking greater height. “We’ll seriously discuss on the issues of mutual benefit,” Prachanda said.

However, at a face-to-face programme yesterday, Krishna Bahadur Mahara, who is accompanying Dahal in the week-long China visit, had claimed that the current political situation would not be their major agenda. The Maoist supremo too urged everyone not to make unnecessary assumptions about the visit, as its sole intention was to develop the relations between the two countries, and the two parties.

He further reiterated the party’s stance on national interest. “We’ve been talking about new Nepal since long and therefore wanted to discuss about the development agendas of Nepal with China,” he explained.

Prachanda said that

dialogues with political parties would continue even while he would be in China. He also disclosed that he had a meeting with the CPN-UML and the NC earlier the same day.