Prachanda is now described as worse than King Gyanendra’s last ‘authoritarian avatar’ by the media that supported him for two years. His systematic divide-and-rule policy, attack on the free media and judiciary, and so far unsuccessful attempts to weaken Nepal’s army, have all exposed the Maoists.

And Prachanda has perhaps realised that his credibility has nosedived in less than four months. But to secure his political future, he needs to retain his image of a revolutionary, a successful prime minister and coalition leader. His party therefore, has prepared a political document that blames the US and India for brazen interference in Nepal’s internal affairs. This is also a clear ploy to erase the ‘pro-India’ tag that Prachanda has come to wear since he signed a 12-point agreement in Delhi along with another seven pro-democracy parties aiming to ‘end the absolute monarchy’. The king is gone, but the pro-India tag has stuck, at least within the ‘revolutionary party’ that he heads. Therefore, the coming months will see him and his party in a rabid anti-India mood. The absence of an official reaction from India in the temple affair is being interpreted in many ways; but Nepal’s officialdom unofficially maintains that India’s silence is a departure from its past emphasis that relations are based on ‘shared culture and religion’.

But Maoists have declared, possibly tactically, that the response of some BJP and SP leaders was blatant interference in Nepal’s internal affairs. And Prachanda has also lately stated that the12-point agreement has outlived its utility, and needs to be replaced.

... contd.