Nepali President Bidhya Devi Bhandari’s visit to Ujjain to participate in the Simhastha Kumbh is being interpreted in Kathmandu as a gesture to assuage India following Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli’s March visit to China during which Nepal and China sealed a transit agreement, indicating an end to Nepal’s dependence on India.
Pilgrimage to Indian temple towns had been used in the past by Nepali kings as an outreach to India, and President Bhandari’s trip, beginning May 9, has drawn comparison with similar visits undertaken during the era of the royalty.
“President Bhandari is not known for promoting religion in Nepal. But she has consciously tried to promote Nepal’s link with the Hindu faith since taking over as the President in October 2015. Her visit to Delhi is indeed timed to remove any misgivings that India might have after Prime Minister Oli’s visit to China,” said Upendra Mahato of the United Madhes Democratic Front (UMDF).
Ms. Bhandari’s visit will take place in the backdrop of stalled negotiations between Mr. Oli and rebels from Nepal’s plains who are led by the UMDF.
Oli holds meetingOn Sunday, Mr. Oli held a day-long meeting to diffuse the demands by the Opposition, which has accused him of not honouring the promises of constitutional amendments made during his February trip to India. However, the meeting did not yield any breakthrough.
Days after Mr. Oli’s visit to China, India took up the issue of Nepal’s constitutional amendment during the 13th EU-India summit held in Brussels, when the Joint Statement demanded an “inclusive constitutional settlement” in the neighbouring country. Nepal had objected to the EU-India Joint Statement, terming it an “interference”.
Ms. Bhandari’s visit is also being interpreted as a step to reassure India after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met newly-elected Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba in Delhi.
Mr. Deuba has repeatedly hinted that he would intensify his opposition against the Oli government.
