Nepal PM Oli continues to hold meetings despite his close aides testing positive for Covid

At least seven of his close aides tested positive for deadly covid-19 within the last couple of weeks, Oli’s two ministers–Yogesh Bhattarai and Girirajmani Pokhrel–tested positive on Saturday and Sunday.

Nepal's tourism minister Yogesh Bhattarai, who also holds the culture and aviation portfolios, has become the first minister in the Cabinet of Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli to contract the contagion which has so far infected over 100,000 people in the Himalayan nation.

In a Facebook post, the minister requested all those who came in his contact to be on alert.

According to The Kathmandu Post, Bhattarai is the eighth close aide of Oli to test positive for the Covid-19 after the Prime Minister's personal physician, personal photographer and media expert.

In February, Bhattarai, in a bid to boost tourism, had said that the world should be informed about the fact that Nepal is free from the dark shadow of coronavirus.

His statement had come a day after all the 175 Nepali nationals evacuated from China, who had been kept in quarantine, tested negative for the coronavirus.

Meanwhile, despite the several positive cases of Covid -9 around him Nepal’s PM is holding party meetings and interacting with opposition leaders and amid all this denial - Kathmandu is preparing for a high-profile visit from India. A visit by the Indian army chief --- General M M Naravane.

Oli he is 69 years old, he has pre-existing health conditions. He has undergone two kidney transplants and he frequently gets hospitalised for cough and fever.

The prime minister of Nepal - falls in the high-risk category of getting infected by the Wuhan virus. But there's no stopping him - from flouting covid-19 guidelines.
Comrade Oli is still holding meetings despite several of his close aides testing positive in recent days. The lack of seriousness on the virus continues.

But there's a growing enthusiasm within the Oli govt to fix straining ties with India. Nepal has extended an invitation to the Indian army chief for a visit that had previously been postponed.

The announcement has been made by the Nepal army the visit could take place in November this year. The primary agenda will be settling boundary disputes. But reports also say that Indian army chief general Naravane will be conferred the honorary rank of 'general of Nepal’s army' by the country's president Vidya Devi Bhandari.

Facing growing criticism at home for its pandemic response. The Oli govt seems to be extending an olive branch to New Delhi. The coming weeks in the Himalayan republic will be something to watch out for.

(With inputs from agencies)