Nepal PM’S anti-india remark backfires as ruling party leaders demand resignation

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli’s recent anti-india remarks and claim that efforts are being made to oust him after his government redrew Nepal’s political map has backfired, with top leaders of the ruling Nepal Communist Party demanding his resignation on Tuesday. As soon as the powerful Standing Committee meeting of the Nepal Communist Party started at the Prime Minister’s Official residence at Baluwatar on Tuesday, former prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ slammed Prime Minister Oli for the remarks he made on Sunday.

“The Prime Minister’s remarks that India was conspiring to remove him was neither politically correct, nor diplomatically appropriate,” he said.

“Such a statement by the Prime Minister may damage our relations with the neighbour,” he warned.

Prime Minister Oli, 68, on Sunday claimed that there have been various kinds of activities in the “embassies and hotels” to remove him from power. He said some

Nepalese leaders were also involved in the game. Accusing the southern neighbour and leaders of his own party by the Prime Minister was not appropriate, a senior leader of the party quoted Prachanda as saying during the meeting. Prachanda told Oli that it was not India but him who had been seeking his resignation both as party chair and prime minister, the NCP leader said.

Besides Prachanda, senior leaders Madhav Kumar Nepal, Jhalanath Khanal, Bamdev Gautam and Narayankaji Shrestha also asked Prime Minister Oli to provide evidence of his accusation and asked to quit the power, he said.