Nepal govt recalls envoy

NEW DELHI: The Nepal government has recalled its ambassador to India, Durgesh Man Singh, and asked him to return to Nepal.

Mr Singh, who is an economist and a former student of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, is considered to be close the Nepali Congress party, which is now sitting in the opposition. Nepal has recalled not only Mr Singh but also its envoy to the US. Nepal���s ambassador to the US Suresh Chandra Chalise, former foreign affairs advisor to Mr Koirala, has also been ordered to come back, according to reports.

This is the first phase of recalls by the Maoist-led government. According to reports, more ambassadors are likely to be recalled as part of the ongoing reshuffle in the bureaucracy.

Mr Singh, a former student of Delhi School of Economics, was appointed in January as envoy to India by former Nepal prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala. At the time, the Maoists had also supported the appointment. He was appointed after Mr Koirala���s niece Shailaja Acharya, who was initially named as India envoy, fell ill and was unable to take the post. Mr Singh had presented his credentials to President Pratibha Patil on April 4.

Foreign ministry spokesman Suresh Pradhan was quoted as saying letters had gone out to the ambassadors asking them to return to Nepal. Traditionally, the Nepal envoy has always been a political appointee. The earlier ambassador Karna Dhoj Adhikari was also a political appointee. He was recalled after the pro-democracy protests led to the fall of the monarchy.