After Nepal initiative, Pranab Mukherjee may beat Xi Jinping

NEW DELHI: The new coalition government in Nepal led by Prachanda has initiated a move for visit of Indian President Pranab Mukherjee in September ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's proposed visit to Kathmandu in October signaling an effort to improve Kathmandu's ties with its closest neighbor that soured under the preceding Oli regime which titled towards Beijing.
Prachanda wants to invite Mukherjee as chief guest to mark one year celebrations of promulgation of new constitution in Himalayan State. However the challenge is to pass amendments in time before this ceremony enabling Mukherjee's visit. The former Maoist leader will send his deputy Bimalendra Nidhi to Delhi this week to deliberate on the possibility of visit by Mukherjee who is no stranger in Nepal having dealt with the country in his various roles.

The Nepalese PM himself also plans to visit Delhi in September itself which could be his first trip abroad in his second innings.

China had desired to have Oli as PM till the visit of Xi in October to push certain connectivity projects till Prachanda decided to pull the rug and form the government with support of the Nepali Congress and Madhesis.

If Mukherjee visits Kathmandu it will also give Indian side an opportunity to give a message of support to the current regime. However challenge is in to have constitutional amendments in place before the Indian President's trip. Delhi had ‘reservations’ on some provisions of Nepal’s new charter that went against the Madhesis.

“If the constitution is amended before the anniversary, a visit date in and around the anniversary of constitution promulgation could be fixed,” hinted a person familiar with the developments.

Ahead of his trip Nidhi said in Kathmandu that the purpose of his visit to India was to invite Mukherjee to visit Nepal and also prepare grounds for India visit by Prachanda, who received an invitation from his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on the day he was elected prime minister. Nidhi who will meet top Indian leadership will also discuss Nepal's president's trip to Delhi that was earlier cancelled by Oli in May and also explore another visit by Modi to Kathmandu.

Talking to leading Nepalese daily The Himalayan Times in Kathmandu last week, Indian Ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Rae had said high-level bilateral visits between Nepal and India could happen in near future.

Meanwhile Xi could stop over in Nepal on a brief visit in mid-October, when he is scheduled to attend a BRICS Summit in Goa, on October 15 and 16. Yet another DPM Krishna Bahadur Mahara is leaving for China on Monday to arrange Chinese President's visit.