When BP Koirala became Prime Minister in 2016 after winning the elections with a two-thirds majority, he faced with the dilemma of which neighbor to visit first -- China or India.
He received the first invitation from China. The then Indian Ambassador Bhagwan Sahay started insisting that the Nepali Prime Minister should visit India first. BP, who understood the difficulty of going to China first, asked for a formal invitation to visit India. He then made his first visit to India after receiving an invitation from New Delhi.
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ is in a similar predicament, currently. He has received an invitation from China. However, like BP, he is also planning to start his first foreign tour from India due to the difficulties that may arise when visiting China first. And, waiting for a formal invitation from New Delhi.
There is a possibility that New Delhi will invite Prime Minister Prachanda for a visit. Therefore, there is a possibility that Prachanda's desire to visit India first will be fulfilled. Only then will he visit China.
Invitation to China, waiting for New Delhi
The annual conference of 'Boao Forum for Asia', established in 2001 for the integrated economic development of Asia, is being held on March 28-31. Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song has invited Prime Minister Prachanda to participate in the conference to be held in Boao, Hainan Province.
The main theme of this conference is “Uncertain World: Solidarity and Cooperation for Development amid Challenges”. The conference will discuss the topics of 'Development and Inclusion', 'Efficiency and Security', 'Regional and Global' and 'Present and Future'.
Although an invitation was received from China to participate in the conference organized for the first time after the Covid epidemic, it is more likely that Prime Minister Prachanda will be in New Delhi during the Boao summit.
"The prime minister has received an invitation from China for a state visit along with his participation in the conference," the source said, "However, in the meantime, there is a possibility of receiving a visit invitation from India as well." Therefore, it is more likely that the Prime Minister will visit China only after the Boao Conference.
In particular, Prachanda himself is willing to visit India before China. In an interview with the Indian television channel 'ABP' on December 26, immediately after taking charge as the Prime Minister, he expressed his desire to start foreign visits from India.
"My foreign tour will start from the country from which the invitation comes first," he said, "I just had a conversation with the Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava. So my first foreign visit will be to India.
Be it during the phone conversation with the Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra or during the meeting with the Indian Ambassador Naveen Srivastava while congratulating him after becoming the Prime Minister, Prime Minister Prachanda has only received a verbal invitation to visit New Delhi. Prachanda has not yet received a formal invitation from New Delhi, which is monitoring the instability and Prachanda's role in the alliance.
China has given a formal invitation through its ambassador to participate in the Boao Forum. However, Prachanda said that "I will visit the country from which the first invitation comes", but Prachanda is waiting for the invitation from New Delhi to make his first visit to India.
According to sources, New Delhi is more likely to invite him to visit India towards March-end.
The Boao Forum will be held on March 28-31. If he receives an invitation to visit India at the time aforesaid, he will not be able to visit China to participate in the Boao Forum.
First New Delhi, then Beijing
CPN-UML who supported Prachanda to become the Prime Minister, withdrew it on February 27. Therefore, Prachanda is taking a vote of confidence from the House of Representatives next Sunday (March 19). After the vote of confidence, preparations for the expansion of the cabinet will begin. As there are 10 parties participating in the power coalition, the situation is very complicated.
"With the vote of confidence, the cabinet expansion work is completed in 1-2 days and only if the prime minister receives an invitation to return from his visit to India before March 26, the prime minister will visit China to participate in the Boao Conference," said a source close to the prime minister, "However, because the cabinet expansion work will be a little complicated. It is unlikely that the India tour will be completed before March 26. In that case, he will not be able to attend the Boao conference.
Although he expressed his desire to start his first foreign visit from India, Delhi did not want to extend a formal invitation to Prachanda, who became the Prime Minister with the support of UML.
India's foreign secretary Kwatra, who came to Nepal before the presidential election, also did not invite Prachanda to visit India, according to high-level sources.
Prachanda helped Nepali Congress senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel in the presidential election. Paudel has won.
"Probably the Prime Minister will go on a visit to China after the Boao Forum." Before that, he will visit India,” the sources said.
Prime Minister's political adviser Haribol Gajurel also hinted at the same.
"No official decision has been made for the Prime Minister's visit to India, first a vote of confidence will be taken, and only after the expansion of the Council of Ministers, it will be discussed," Gajurel told Nepalkhabar.
