Kathmandu, Aug 17 - Nepal's former guerrillas, the Maoist party, Monday warned they would oppose any controversial deal between the coalition government and India during Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal's maiden India visit that kicks off Tuesday, casting a shadow over the outcome of the five-day trip.
The communist leader is taking a jumbo delegation of over 60 people, including several ministers, secretaries, captains of industry and journalists, to the Indian capital Tuesday where he will meet his Indian peer, Manmohan Singh, president of the Congress party, Sonia Gandhi, and other Indian ministers and political leaders.
He will also pay a courtesy call on Indian President Pratibha Patil and convey to her the invitation extended by Nepal's President Ram Baran Yadav to visit the Himalayan republic.
The much-vaunted India trip however could remain restricted to a goodwill visit with little progress made in bilateral relations, given the current political turmoil in Nepal.
On Monday too, the Maoists, now the largest party in parliament, blocked the house, demanding action by the Nepal government against army chief Gen Rookmangud Katawal, whom they had tried to sack while they were in power; and against the president, who saved the general by reinstating him.
This is their second siege on parliament. After the fall of their eight-month government in May, the former rebels had obstructed the house for over two months.
This time, they began their siege again Aug 7 after their one-month ultimatum to the Nepal government expired. The continued obstruction could derail the scheduled implementation of a new constitution by May 2010.