cy{dGqL lji0f'k|;fb kf}8]n cfOtaf/ tLg lbg] ef/t e|d0fdf k|:yfg ug{'cl3 lqe'jg cGt/f{li6«o ljdfg:yndf ;~rf/sdL{;Fu s'/f ub}{ . tl:a/ M gf/fo0f Gof}kfg], /f;; Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel talks to media at Kathmandu Airport before leaving for New Delhi on Sunday. Photo: RSS

From the Nepali Press

Rameswor Bohara in Himal Khabarpatrika (7-13 February)

Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel left for a two-day India visit on Sunday. The success, or failure, of his visit will determine whether Prime Minister KP Oli visits New Delhi before heading off to Beijing.

As Oli's special envoy to New Delhi, Poudel will try to prepare the groundwork for the new Prime Minister of Nepal's first India visit amidst a prolonged post-constitution crisis.

Oli trusts Poudel more than any other minister, leading to his selection as the special envoy. Sources say Modi had asked Oli to send his most-trusted man so that there could be real dialogue.

Before leaving for New Delhi, Poudel told us: "We want to take Nepal-India relations to a new height, and my visit aims to serve this purpose."

Poudel will meet with India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Arun Jaitely. It is not certain whether he will also meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A government source said: "He will look forward to meeting with Modi as well, but that depends on whether his talks with Indian ministers end on a positive note."

It is expected that Oli will go to New Delhi in the third week of February, but the date and details of his India visit have not yet been confirmed. And he has said time and again that he will not visit India unless the blockade against Nepali is lifted.

India, unhappy with Nepal's new constitution promulgated on 20 September of last year, had imposed a trade blockade on Nepal citing border-centric protests by Madhesi parties.

After becoming Nepal's 38th Prime Minister amidst the Indian blockade, Oli sent Foreign Affairs Minister Kamal Thapa to New Delhi twice to restore relations between the two countries. After Thapa's second visit, supply was slightly eased but the blockade continued, as Madhesi parties refused to call off their sit-in at the Birganj-Raxaul checkpoint.

However, on Friday, locals burnt down the tent and barricade set up by Madhesi protesters meant to choke off supplies, and trucks carrying fuel started passing through the Birganj-Raxaul trade point. Madhesi parties have not officially withdrawn their border protests and India, for its part, has not issued any statement on the new development.

Some leaders of Oli's party believe that the resumption of supply through Birganj may not last long. They are urging Oli to not visit India unless New Delhi sends a clear message through Poudel that there will be no blockade in future.

If Poudel's India visit fails, Oli will feel pressure from within his own party to visit Beijing. China is keen to welcome Oli, but he does not want to further exacerbate Kathmandu-New Delhi relations by visiting Beijing first.