Posted on 05/25/2005 1:33:03 AM PDT by phoenix_004
A top leader of Nepal's Maoists, Baburam Bhattarai, has met Indian communist leaders in New Delhi to discuss whether the rebels could join a pro-democracy alliance in the Himalayan kingdom, The Times of India daily said. The newspaper reported Wednesday that the Communist Party of India-Marxist General Secretary Prakash Karat confirmed he had a meeting with Bhattarai last week, but it said he did not elaborate on topics discussed.
Bhattarai, second-in-command of Nepal's Maoists, has been under fire from top rebel leader Prachanda for questioning his tactics in their fight to topple the king and set up a communist republic in the Himalayan nation.
There was no immediate comment available from communist party officials.
Prachanda is considered to be a hardliner who espouses armed struggle. Bhattarai led the Maoists in failed peace talks with Nepal's government in 2003.
The newspaper added New Delhi was keen to use the influence of India's leftist parties over Nepal's Maoists to get them to join the seven-party pro-democracy alliance in the Himalayan kingdom.
The Maoists have said they will back the parties in their pro-democracy fight but the political parties are insisting that the Maoists agree to lay down arms first.
The Maoist rebels have been fighting to overthrow the monarchy in Nepal since 1996 in a conflict that has claimed more than 11,000 lives.
They stepped up their efforts through road blockades and attacks on troops after King Gyanendra sacked the coalition government. India said it would resume military shipments to Nepal after the lifting of emergency rule late last month.
But so far no supplies have been received, Nepal army officials say and The Indian Express newspaper reported Wednesday that India may only give Nepal "non-lethal aid" such as jeeps, night-vision goggles and bullet-proof jackets.
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