Prachanda's visit to China may raise eyebrows in India

IMPARTIAL PRACHANDA: Prachanda expressed his desire to implement a policy of "equidistance".

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Kathmandu: Prachanda is set to visit Beijing this week in a sharp departure from tradition where India has been the first port of call for top Nepalese leaders after assuming office.

Prachanda, who was today sworn-in as the first Prime Minister of the post-monarchy Nepal, had earlier expressed his desire to implement a policy of "equidistance" in relations with its giant neighbours China and India.

Prachandas predecessor Koirala had made New Delhi his first port of call abroad after assuming the reins of government.

The Maoist leader is set to leave for China on Saturday where he will attend the concluding ceremony of Beijing Olympic. It will be his first foreign tour as Prime Minister. “It is rare for a Nepali prime minister to choose a country other than India for his maiden foreign tour," the Nepal news online said in a report.

The former insurgents have earlier accused India of trying to prevent the Maoists from forming the government in Nepal, and hinting that New Delhi favoured outgoing Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's Nepali Congress. The CPN-Maoist leader had also publicly demanded the revision of the 1950 Indo-Nepal Peace and Friendship treaty, describing it as an "unequal" pact.

India was the first country to invite the new Nepali premier. A four-member team of Indian politicians led by President of Nepal-India Parliamentary Forum Sharad Yadav attended the swearing-in-ceremony and handed Prachanda Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's invitation for a tour to New Delhi, the report said.

Meanwhile, King Gyanendra ousted from power has found something to keep him busy. Gyanendra, now living the life of a private citizen in a palace near Katmandu is reportedly penning his autobiography.

The book will be in English and has five segment according to Nepali media. It starts with his turbulent childhood, when he was crowned king as a toddler.

( With inputs from PTI )