Kathmandu, July 17
Nepali Congress senior leader Shekhar Koirala says his party’s competition is with CPN-UML, and not with CPN-Maoist Center.
Koirala, in an interview with Onlinekhabar, said Nepali Congress has never done any harm to the Maoists, and there was no question of withdrawing support to Prachanda’s bid to form the new government.
“Our competition is with UML at the national level, and with the Madheshi parties at the regional level. It is also in the interest of the Maoists to side with the Nepali Congress as it will be difficult for two communist parties to cooperate,” said Koirala.
“It was the Nepali Congress that brought the Maoists to mainstream politics. If you remember, Girija babu offered the Maoists a status at par with the UML in the Interim Legislature,” he said.
Koirala criticised Oli for failing to address the demands of Madhesh, and to improve ties with China without annoying India. “Oli was heavily influenced by ‘Kathmandu’s’ mindset, which always sees India as the enemy. If he were a true nationalist, he would have tried to unite Nepalis of the mountains, hills and the Terai. But he did not,” said Koirala.
