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Rediff.com  » News » Koirala rubbishes reports on seeking India's help to oust Maoists

Koirala rubbishes reports on seeking India's help to oust Maoists

By Shirish B Pradhan in Kathmandu
March 16, 2009 14:50 IST
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Nepalese opposition leader Girija Prasad Koirala has asked Prime Minister Prachanda to run the government with consensus of all the stakeholders, and said his talks with the Indian leaders revolved around this and dismissed reports that he sought New Delhi's help to oust the Maoists-led ministry.

The former premier also refuted allegations that he along with former king Gyanendra want to revive monarchy in Nepal by installing latter's grand son Hridayendra on the throne.

"Neither had I any intention to topple the government, nor did I have any plan to meet ex-king Gyanendra in India," Koirala told media persons at the Tribhuvan international airport in Kathmandu, on Sunday after his arrival from India.

Pointing out that during the meetings with the Indian leaders both the sides agreed that there should be political stability in Nepal and a new constitution should be promulgated in time, Koirala said, "This is possible only when the government takes the confidence of all the stakeholders."

"It is our responsibility to solve problems at home," the former premier added.

Koirala's visit to India, aimed at getting medical check-ups done in New Delhi, has roused suspicion in the minds of the Maoists as it ended up with the Nepali Congress president holding high level political meetings with senior Indian leaders.

The Nepalese leader met Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Lal Krishna Advani and BJP President Raj Nath Singh among others.

Besides Koirala, former King Gyanendra, Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) strongman K P Oli and CPN-UML leader and Home Minister Bam Dev Gautam were also in India at the same time giving people grounds for making speculations.

According to NC spokesman Arjun Narsingh K C, during Koirala's meetings with leaders in India, the issues which were discussed prominently included current political situation in Nepal, taking the peace process in the Himalayan nation to its logical conclusion, breaching of past agreements by the Maoists and strengthening bilateral relations between the two nations.

Narsingh made it clear that the visit was not aimed at dismantling the Maoist government. "Nepali Congress is not in a position to dislodge the Maoist government at the moment. If the Maoist government dissolves due to internal rifts or any other reasons, then as the main opposition we will give an alternative," Narsingh added.

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Shirish B Pradhan in Kathmandu
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