Pushpa Kamal Dahal postpones Australia tour in eleventh hour

Kathmandu, June 22

CPN-Maoist Centre Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal who was to embark on a week-long Australia visit today, postponed his trip ‘due to latest political situation.’

According to a brief press release issued by Dahal’s Secretariat, the CPN-MC Chair postponed his Australia visit due to the latest political situation in the country and party’s work load.

This daily’s repeated attempts to contact party Spokesperson Dinanath Sharma and Dahal’s personal secretary Jokh Bahadur Mahara to know the reasons behind the postponement was unsuccessful.

He was to attend programmes organised by Pragatisheel Janamanch, the party’s diaspora organisation in Australia.

One CPN-MC source, however, told THT that issues related to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission could be one reason behind Dahal’s sudden postponement of Australia tour.

Earlier, Dahal met Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and discussed contemporary issues.

PM Oli’s press secretary Pramod Dahal said Dahal and the PM discussed the work calendar for implementation of the constitution and the preferred course of action to win the confidence of political parties, including the Nepali Congress and Madhesi parties, for forging national consensus.

Deuba’s personal secretary Bhanu Deuba said Dahal had come to meet the NC’s president before embarking on his Australia tour, but later they came to know about the change.