Prachanda says his first `political visit` will be to India

After no hug from china, Prachanda eye India

Kathmandu, Aug 27: Amid criticism of his visit to China first instead of India after assuming office, Nepal's new Premier Prachanda on Wednesday said his maiden "political" trip will be to New Delhi and that it will take place "very soon.

Prachanda, who undertook a five-day visit to Beijing to ...

departure from tradition where India has been the first port of call for most of the previous Nepalese prime ministers. "My first political visit will be to India," the Nepalese

Prime Minister told reporters at the Tribhuvan International Airport here after arriving from China.

Prachanda, the chief of the CPN-Maoist party, said his visit to India will take place "very soon.

The former guerrilla leader also noted that Nepal-India traditional ties were characterised by religious and cultural similarities.

He said his CPN-Maoist's cooperation with India started when it reached a 12-point agreement with political parties of Nepal in Delhi, "which cannot be undermined.

Prachanda, who met Chinese President Hu Jintao and other political leaders during his stay in Beijing, termed his Beijing visit as "fruitful".

He, however, said he visited China merely to attend the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games.

Prachanda said the Chinese President had pledged cooperation to Nepal in its peace process, economy and development.

China was also interested in establishing a rail link to Kathmandu from Lhasa, he said.

Referring to his meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, Prachanda said "we have assured him that anti-China activities will not be tolerated and that Nepal is committed to its 'One-China' policy.

Nepal has witnessed a series of anti-China protests by the Tibetan refugees in Kathmandu following the March unrest in Lhasa.

Bimalendra Nidhi, the General Secretary of the opposition Nepali Congress, said Prachanda should have spent 3-4 days in the flooded Sunsari district to comfort the victims instead of visiting China for the closing ceremony of the Olympics.

He said Prachanda got the first invitation from India, but he visited China without rejecting or accepting New Delhi's invitation.