India blamed for failed Premier polls in Nepal

Aug 07, 2010 |

IANS

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Premier polls in Nepal

Kathmandu, Aug. 6: The sudden visit by India’s special envoy to Nepal, Mr Shyam Saran, has come under fire from different stakeholders of Nepali politics. Mr Saran’s visit came on the eve of the fourth round of the poll for the election of a new premier on Friday.

The Indian Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, on Thursday, sent as his special envoy, the former foreign secretary, Mr Shyam Saran, to mediate among the warring parties. However, Mr Saran’s visit which was not intimated to Nepal’s foreign ministry, as protocol demands, or even to the political parties of Nepal, is now being regarded by the Maoists, royalists and a segment of the media as aimed at thwarting support for the Maoists. Mr Saran, however, said on his arrival in Kathmandu that India would not interfere in the election.

Friday’s run-off in Nepal failed as the leading candidate, Maoist chief and former prime minister, Mr Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, was able to muster only 213 votes in the 601-member Parliament. In the third round of election earlier this week, he had polled 259 votes. Mr Prachanda’s rival, former deputy prime minister, Mr Ram Chandra Poudel, saw a bigger turnout during his turn with 561 MPs making it to the House. However, he was able to get only 122 votes while there were 245 votes against him and 194 MPs abstained.

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