Delhi must be smiling at the changed demeanor of Nepali leader, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Prachanda.  How the change has come about in the disposition of the   Maoist leader is not unimportant though.

Prachanda has himself attributed to what is a change of heart on his part, to his recent China trip. And shared his mind with the Kathmandu Post and the Kantipur dailies, which are not known to show any friendly vibes towards India, going by their recent spat with the Indian Mission in the Nepali capital.

"There’s some confusion between us (India and Nepali Maoists). Our party feels it is needed to clear them," Kantipur quoted him as saying. He also indicated a possible visit to Delhi. As the agency dispatches put it, Nepal Maoists chief now wants to cozy up to India after having attacked it at every available opportunity for the past year, apparently on China’s advice.

In the interview, the former prime minister said he was advised by Chinese leaders to better relations with India. In the same breath he spoke of a "strategic tripartite partnership" involving India, China and Nepal.

Funnily, it has taken one year and a visit to China for Prachanda to say that ‘some people are trying to portray that we are siding with China and against India. That’s not true”. Because, whatever ill-will or bad-blood that has crept into the relations between the Maoists and the Indian side were contribution of the erstwhile guerillas, who from time to time appear to be longing for the old days.

Indian Marxist ideologues, who don’t share the Maoist ideology, whether in India or in Nepal, had worked overtime to bridge the gulf between Nepali Congress and the Prachandas. The Indian government as usual lent a helping hand to the process of ending monarchy and unveiling of Nepal Republic.

But the brand of politics the Maoists have been pursuing over the past several months have undermined whatever India did or contributed to bring them into the political mainstream, which was no mean task.  

It is ok for Prachanda to say ‘Sometimes we need to address problems from the streets and sometimes sitting across a table. Now we want to sit across a table and discuss’, but the problem with him is keeps shifting his stand.

As a senior Nepali leader says, Prachanda has a penchant to frequently retract his statements. This naturally makes any interaction with him a tough proposition even at the best of times.

Obviously, notwithstanding the borrowed wisdom, Prachanda is prompted to wave the olive branch as he had failed to make any headway after forcing the resignation of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal. If any thing, the decision has a created a political impasse with Parliament unable to elect a successor to Nepal; the working of the government has come to a stand still and the country is plunging into a financial mess.

So, for light at the end of the day, Prachanda must learn the three R’s of democracy – namely, consultation, conciliation, and no-confrontation both within and outside his party-fold.