News update from Nepal, June 9, 2005 On June 5 Girija P Koirala left for India to express gratitude to the Indian leaders for their support to the democratic movement in Nepal. During his talk, the Indian Defense Minis­ter Pranab Mukherjee told Koirala,“The common platform could be the basis for dia­logue on an eventual political settlement of the conflict based on multi-party democracy and constitutional monarchy.” He suggested the parties and the king to work for a na­tional consensus. Koirala also met several Indian leaders and government officials. CPN-UML and NC(D) leaders are also doing similar consultations with Indian leaders on how to resolve Nepal’s political crisis. The prospect for reconciliation between the parties and the establishment as suggested by the international community does not seem in the offing. Their support for a constituent assembly might inspire the Maoists but alienate the regime. Similarly, the regime and the CPN(M) reject the option for the revival of the dissolved parliament. CPN-Maoist’s Changing Strategy The CPN(M) is following a number of tactics to get support from India and the Western powers who have differences with the establishment, creating rift and rivalry among the ruling classes, coaxing the seven-party alliance for a cooperative action for the estab­lishment of a republican set up and launching a military offensive to weaken the regime. On May 20 RNA made public an audio-taped voice of CPN(M) Chairman Prachanda, which claimed“India’s call to the Maoist rebels for dialogue.” In the audiotape, he said, “The Indian government has called our party for dialogue, proposed directly and indi­rectly, to revoke action against Dr. Baburam Bhattarai and invited party central leaders to India for talks.” He said,“India has assured security there.” He also claimed India had sought withdrawal of action against Dr. Baburam Bhattarai as a condition for releasing the Maoist leaders Mohan Baidya and C.P. Gajurel stranded in Indian jails. Although the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu questioned the authenticity of the audiotape played by the RNA, Prachanda confirmed that the tape was the old one from a different context. On May 25 The Times of India reported that Dr. Baburam Bhattarai held talks with the Communist Party of India(Marxist) General-Secretary Prakash Karat and sought his party’s support for the Maoist insurgency in Nepal. It also said that the meeting between the two was facilitated by the Indian intelligence agencies to convince the Maoists to join the pro-democracy movement spearheaded by the seven political parties in Nepal. On May 27 in a statement Prachanda said Dr. Bhattarai and Mahara were“assigned” to hold meetings with the Indian government and political parties so as to create an atmos­phere conducive for the“pro-democracy movement in Nepal.” In an interview to BBC Nepali service on May 30 Dr. Bhattarai confirmed his meeting with Indian leaders. He said,“In the absence of an understanding between India, China, the United States and the European Union, there will be no sustainable outlet and peace moves. Comrade Krishna Bahadur Mahara and I have been sent here(India) to do international work.” The seven-party alliance and the international community, however, ask the CPN(M) to shun violence for such a cooperative action. In the second week of May four major Maoist offensives against security forces took place in Sirha, Gaighat, Sindhuli and Kailali, which caused the death of more than two hundred Maoists and 35 security personnel. To frustrate the government’s efforts to cre-