Oli’s call to Prachanda and its political message

Kathmandu: K P Oli, Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist is not someone known for extending political courtesy, at least towards his political foes. But, he exhibited that courtesy towards Pushpa Kamal Dahal, a man he loves to hate and criticise, as poll results began trickling in with a definite message yesterday. Oli called Dahal over phone, ostensibly, to congratulate him for his personal victory from Gorkha. The call soon, however, became talk of the town, with different and contradictory interpretations.

When Oli was Prime Minister and on his way to Singapore for medical treatment, three years ago, he had outrightly refused to acknowledge greetings and best wishes for speedy recovery, with a snide remark, “why should I accept these wishes from somebody who wants me to die fast?” Oli’s bitterness and personal attack on Prachanda and Madhav Nepal–both allies of the Nepali Congress–never
diminished.

‘It was a simple courtesy that Chairman Oli showed, but Prachanda used it as a political tool to bargain with Congress,” Bishnu Rimal, key adviser to Oli told media. He was implying that as prospects of hung parliament looms large, Prachanda tried to present it as Oli’s support to him for the top executive post and secure Nepali Congress Sher Bahadur Deuba’s support as well.

Observers, however, do not rule out possibility of various players–internal and external–trying to form some new permutations and combinations for the new government.