Alarmed at the inability of the new Nepal government to get its act together and the growing Maoist opposition, India is sending foreign secretary Shiv Shankar Menon to Kathmandu on Saturday to push forward the halted peace process.
Menon will meet the beleaguered new PM Madhav Kumar Nepal and foreign minister Sujata Koirala, but his request for meetings with deputy PM Bijay Kumar Gachhadar and the home and defence ministers is yet to be answered.
Gachhadar remains locked in a battle of will with the Nepal government, seeking strong ministries for his Madhesi Janadhikar Forum party and two other regional outfits, failing which he has threatened to pull out.
Due to fierce infighting among allies, Nepal has not been able to expand his 11-member cabinet three weeks after being sworn in.
Delhi had been hoping the altercations would be resolved before Menon’s visit and had placed requests for meetings with the home and defence ministers.
