KATHMANDU: Nepal has recalled its ambassador to India and cancelled an upcoming visit by its president to New Delhi, officials said Saturday, further straining ties between two neighbours after months of tension.
Deep Kumar Upadhyay was recalled to Kathmandu late Friday after allegedly siding with the Nepali Congress opposition in supporting a threat by the Maoist party to topple Prime Minister K.P Sharma Oli’s government, sources said.
Nepal’s parliament was thrown into chaos last week after the Maoists threatened to pull out of the ruling coalition and dislodge the prime minister — a move reportedly also backed by India. The Maoists later decided to continue supporting the government.
“He (Upadhyay) is close to Nepali Congress and seemed to play an internal role in the exercise to change the government, that was the main reason (for his recall),” an official source told AFP on condition of anonymity. Upadhyay was appointed by the former Nepali Congress-led government in April 2015.
