After being in denial mode for months, the Nepalese Maoists have said they are extending “full support and cooperation” to the Naxalites in India, days after Home Minister P Chidambaram mentioned about a possible supply of arms from them.

Admitting that exchanges exist between the Maoists and the Naxals in India, a senior Standing Committee member of the UCPN-M CP Gajurel was quoted by Rajdhani daily as saying, “We have extended our full support and cooperation to the Indian Maoists, who are launching armed revolt.” The same newspaper had earlier carried a report that a Maoist leader had met Indian Maoist leader Kishenji at an undisclosed place in October.

Chidambaram had recently mentioned about the possible supply of arms from Nepalese Maoists to the Naxals in India.

Talking to pro-Maoist journalists in Bara district of southern Nepal on Sunday, Gajurel, however, did not elaborate on what type of support they have extended to the Naxalites. When contacted for his comment, avoiding a direct answer, Gajurel said his party did not oppose the movement being launched by the Indian Maoists. “They are doing what they think is right,” he said. “The Maoists are launching their movement in India and we are launching ours here, there is no need to oppose the movement launched by them.”