RAW micromanaging Nepali politics amid race for PM

Online Khabar

Kathmandu, October 10 . With the race for prime minister on amid a fluid political situation, Indian intelligence officials have stepped up their activities in Nepal to ‘micromanage’ the course of Nepali politics.

Former chief of the Research and Analysis Wing, AB Mathur, has been intensifying his activities in Kathmandu for a week.  Former chief of RAW in Nepal, Prabhat Ranjan, has also arrived in Kathmandu.

The presence and activities of these officials, especially at a fluid political situation in Nepal, goes against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement to not micromanage Nepal’s politics. And this is Mathur’s second visit to Kathmandu in a week, in the capacity of the Indian government’s emissary.

RAW’s failures in Nepal

In Nepali politics, apart from its political wing, India has been using another wing: RAW. Under the prime ministership of Narendra Modi, Nepalis had expected India to deal with Nepal at the political level on the basis of equality instead of relying on RAW and its bureaucracy.

Worryingly so far, Modi has not been able to influence India’s Nepal policy much. The traditional players, intelligence officials and bureaucrats, have been prevailing over him. This has not enhanced India’s image in Nepal.

In the beginning of his tenure, Modi had managed to improve ties with Nepal somewhat. But it did not take Indian bureaucrats and intelligence officials that long to spoil the ties.

India has not earned brawny points in Nepal by not welcoming the promulgation of a federal constitution.

In the latest instance of its interference, it is stepping up activities against CPN-UML President KP Oli, who is in the race for prime minister. Through misleading reports to India’s External Affairs Ministry, Indian Ambassador and intelligence officials are influencing India’s Nepal policy. Modi has not been able to intervene.

India has again courted controversy in Nepal by trying to micromanage its politics, amid a prime ministerial race.

One more time, Indian intelligence officials are on the verge of failure to ease Nepal-India ties. These officials are likely to face music from the Modi government soon. This may happen after the prime ministerial election in Nepal.

Heads may roll

The diplomatic rumour mill in Nepal is abuzz with the possibility of Nepal recalling its Ambassador to India, Dip Kumar Upadhyay, after the formation of a new government.

This is not only because Upadhyay is a Nepali Congress leader, but also because he failed to ease ties with India in the time of a covert blockade against Nepal, according to leaders.

And with Oli possibly becoming PM, the possibility of India recalling its Ambassador, Ranjit Ray, has increased. Ray does not have good ties with Oli. Modi may recall Ray because he feels ties with Nepal will not improve unless he is in Kathmandu, leaders say.

There’s a general perception in Kathmandu that India-Nepal ties may ease if Modi recalls Ambassador Ray, decreases the influence of bureaucracy and deals with Nepal at the political level.