'Worried' India may send Saran to Nepal

Concerned over Maoists' pulling out of the interim government and postponement of elections in Nepal, India will next week send former foreign secretary Shyam Saran to Kathmandu as a special envoy of the prime minister to talk to Nepalese premier GP Koirala, also the leader of the Nepali Congress.

Anticipating that events in Nepal were at a turning point just before the November elections were postponed, Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee had met Koirala at the United Nations General Assembly in New York a few days ago.

Mukherjee conveyed two messages "" that the government should not dance to the tune of the Maoists and the mainstream political parties should isolate them. Above all, India wanted Nepal to stick to the election schedule.

Acting partially on the advice, the Nepali Congress brass initiated reunification of its various factions but could not get the Election Commission to stick to the election schedule.

Now, India is concerned that the Maoists, having walked out of the government, may try to blackmail the government into forcing it to declare Nepal a republic, a move India has said should not be taken until elections. Mukherjee today briefed the prime minister on the issue.

Maoists have reneged on two of their agreements, on monarchy and elections through a mixed system. The interim Constitution provides for a mix of the first-past-the-post and proportional representation.

Fearing they will do badly in a mixed system, Maoists are insisting on a shift to proportional representation. They also want Nepal to be declared a republic before the elections.

According to earlier agreements, the monarchy's fate was to be decided by the first sitting of the Constituent Assembly.

At the insistence of the Maoists', the Constitution was amended to empower two-thirds of the House to declare Nepal a Republic if the King was seen to be interfering with the election process. Not satisfied, the Maoists have sought a special session of Parliament on October 11 for clearing its two demands.

The government will have to invent some ingenious formula to satisfy the Maoists on proportional representation and India is concerned the government may try to appease them.

The Maoists are not ready for elections because they believe they will emerge third after the reunified Nepali Congress and the United Marxist Leninist, which is a grassroot party and best organised for a free and fair election. India believes they are playing for time.

India would like to see the Maoists represented in Parliament only through elections. But in the current unsettled situation, they need to be engaged, otherwise they could represent a spillover problem in UP and Bihar.

Saran, who was an ambassador to Nepal, is likely to take into account the complexities and advice the country on the best course of action for it and India.