Prakash Karat is among the most powerful people in India today. With the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government dependent on the support of the left, the general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) holds a veto on critical issues and has blocked the Indo-US nuclear deal. With Sitaram Yechury, Karat used the clout of CPM to influence India's Nepal policy and the tilt towards republic. Sitting in his New Delhi party office, Karat spoke to Nepali Times' Prashant Jha last week. Excerpts:

How do you see the recent election results in Nepal?
The political process and elections have significance not only for Nepal, but also South Asia. This is the first break in the chain of imperialism that has engulfed our entire region. American influence expresses itself through neo-liberal economic policies and military partnerships. Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, all are getting locked into US strategic designs. The last two years in Nepal and now the election results have provided a break with what the US has been up to. The process in Nepal and our opposition to the nuclear deal, all show it is possible to fight and try to de-link from US imperialism.

You claim that India is getting locked into US designs, and is not pursuing an independent policy. How do you explain the fact there is a visible divergence in the Indian and American approach on Nepal?
India's strategic autonomy has got curbed, especially with the nuclear deal. Our collaboration with Israel and stand against Iran are examples. The Indian establishment, left to itself, would have taken the well beaten path on Nepal as well. Do you remember the meeting between Manmohan Singh and the king in Jakarta and India promising to resume military aid to Nepal? That was the line being pushed by our army and defence sectors. It was we on the left who put our foot down and objected. There was constant pressure from us on the government to work with the parties and Maoists. The left's pivotal role on Nepal and its support for the peace process must be taken into account.

Sitaram Yechury constantly makes the point about how the Indian Naxalites must learn from the Nepali Maoists. How do you view Naxalism in India?

Right now in West Bengal we face constant Maoist attacks. From 2006, 32 of our important cadre have been killed by these self-styled Maoists. Whose cause do they serve by adopting these tactics and killing our people? They do no work with the masses. This type of anarcho-sectarian politics cannot be called left politics. In Nepal, the Maoists made a significant transition. They launched an armed struggle, developed a mass base, and realised that this mass base must be utilised to move to the next stage.