Amid political chaos, China to send senior leader to Nepal

To stop the Nepal Communist Party from splitting, Chinese President Xi Jinping has decided to send a vice-minister of the Chinese Communist Party to Kathmandu to “assess the ground situation”.

Two Nepal Communist Party (NCP) leaders have confirmed that Guo Yezhou, vice-minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China, is arriving in Kathmandu on Sunday for a four-day visit.

During the visit, Guo will meet the senior leaders of both the factions of the NCP, according to sources.

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 divulging details “at this point of time”.

Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari had dissolved the Lower House on Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli’s recommendation. The move has invited 12 petitions in the country’s apex court, claiming it to be “unconstitutional”, including one by former prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

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.