Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Former Prime Minister and Nepal Samajbadi Party (Naya Shakti) Chairperson Dr Baburam Bhattarai has claimed that India is not in favor of overturning Nepal’s political system.
Speaking to journalists upon his return from India at the Tribhuvan International Airport on Tuesday evening, Bhattarai said while there is concern in India at the people’s level regarding the ongoing protests, the Indian government and people close to it are not supporting such actions.
“At the public level, there is curiosity about the ongoing movements, with some wondering if they are aimed at overthrowing the system. However, the Indian government and its major forces are not engaged in activities that destabilize Nepal’s system,” he added.
During his visit to India, Bhattarai met with senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, former BJP President Murli Manohar Joshi, former Vice President Bhagat Singh Koshyari and others to discuss bilateral relations between Nepal and India.
Dr Bhattarai was in India to participate in programs organized by sister organizations of his party. He also met with former Indian ambassadors to Nepal like Shyam Saran, Rakesh Sood, Manjeev Singh Puri and Ranjit Rae, and interacted with Indian journalists.
The Former Prime Minister also said the Indian establishment has, more or less, arrived at the conclusion that the Eminent Persons’ Group (EPG) has been unable to function effectively. “It has almost been decided at the highest levels that the EPG has not worked. Since the EPG is no longer acceptable, we need to explore alternative approaches,” he said.
Dr Bhattarai added that he emphasized the need for dialogue and discussions at the prime ministerial level during his meetings.
