China's meddling in Nepal grows; Xi & CCP send top minister to Kathmandu to sort NCP chaos

In a deeply suspicious move amid political chaos in Nepal, China is sending a vice-minister of the Chinese Communist Party to "assess the ground situation". The local media reports, two Nepal Communist Party (NCP) leaders confirmed that Guo Yexhou, vice-minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China, is arriving in Kathmandu on Sunday for a four-day visit. According to sources, during the visit, Gui will meet the senior leaders of both the factions of the warring NCP. 

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China fishing in Nepal's troubled waters

Sources in both the factions of the NCP confirmed that Guo, along with his four-member team, will land in Kathmandu on Sunday morning. Bishnu Rijal, Deputy Head of Department of Foreign Affairs of the NCP (Dahal-Nepal faction), while confirming that the Chinese side communicated about Guo's visit to Kathmandu, denied details 'at this point of time'. This comes after Nepal president Bidya Devi Bhandari had dissolved the Lower House on Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's recommendation. 

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However, this move by the Nepal President has invited 12 petitions in the country's apex court. The petitions say that this decision by Bidya Devi Bhandari is "unconstitutional". Out of the 12 petitions in the apex court, one is by former prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda'. 

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After dissolving the Parliament, Oli also proposed elections on April 30 and May 10, 2021, nearly two years ahead of the schedule. Seven cabinet ministers had submitted their resignations after the Parliament dissolution was ratified by the President. Oli has been facing pressure from the rival factions of the NCP, led by former prime minister Dahal and Madhav Nepal.

It has long been speculated that a Chinese hand has been present in the unstable Oli government's recent flounderings which included slights against India. In particular, the Chinese envoy in Nepal has been hyperactive in recent weeks, meeting the President as well as Prachanda under the garb of mundane official agendas. It is thought the Chinese Communist Party is attempting to play a big brother role in keeping the Nepal Communist Party together. India has refused to be drawn into the Nepal turmoil, with the MEA terming it as Nepal's internal matter, though it has expressed it is keeping a watch on developments. 

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(With ANI inputs)