Nepal PM Oli s cabinet reshuffle to restore relations with India

Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has shunted out the nation s deputy PM Ishwar Pokhrel out of the defence ministry in Wednesday s cabinet reshuffle_ a transfer seen as an effort to reset ties with its large neighbour India. As defence minister_ Ishwar Pokhrel had been one among India s sharpest critics in PM Oli s cabinet. The change of guard at the defence ministry - PM Oli will hold the charge of this portfolio - has been timed ahead of the Nepal visit of Indian Army Chief General MM Naravane on November 3. Pokhrel has been attached to the Prime Minister s Office_ an assignment that Nepal media said_ effectively means he will be a minister without portfolio. Back in May this year when General Naravane had hinted at China s role in Nepal s shrill reaction to an 80-km road to Lipulekh built for pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet_ Ishwar Pokhrel had sought to provoke Gurkha soldiers who have been an integral part of the Indian Army for decades. Gen Naravane s remark had  hurt the sentiments of the Nepali Gurkha army personnel who lay down their lives to protect India _ Pokhrel had stated_ claiming that Gurkha troopers in the Indian military wouldn t respect their superiors after Gen Naravane s remark. There have been different offensive remarks by the minister as nicely. PM Oli had laid the groundwork for his India outreach in August when he dialed Prime Minister Narendra Modi to greet him on the event of India s 74th Independence Day. Last month_ he stopped the distribution of a new text book that included the country s revised political map that has riled India. The map exhibits three strategically-important Indian areas as a part of its territory.