Embattled Nepal Prime Minister KP Oli has indicated that he holds India responsible for the decision of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist-Centre) to withdraw support to the ruling coalition – a charge that India vehemently denied. At a conference on national security in the capital city of Kathmandu, Oli had reportedly said that “India’s role was primarily behind” the crisis and that his government had been destabilised “by remote control”

On July 12, the CPN(M-C) announced its decision to pull out of the coalition government, alleging that the prime minister had failed to honour past agreements. Oli, who refused to step down even though his party has only 175 seats in the 601-member Legislature Parliament, now faces a no-confidence vote. The CPN(M-C), which has 80 seats in the Parliament, has struck a deal with the Nepal Congress, the main opposition party.

This is not the first time that Oli has alleged political interference by India. Though Nepal and India have historically enjoyed good ties and strong trade relations – ties between the two have hit an all-time low over the last year or so