By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, who heads the Samajwadi Party, and noted Indian industrialist Anil Ambani are arriving in Nepal Sunday on a private visit. Actress-activist Shabana Azmi is also headed for Kathmandu next week.
Mulayam Singh will be accompanied by the general secretary of his party, Amar Singh.
His visit comes at a time Nepal is seeing the rise of politicians from the Terai plains in southern Nepal adjoining India’s Bihar and Uttar Pradesh states and having close links with the major parties there.
The veteran politician is to pay a courtesy call on Nepal’s first President, Ram Baran Yadav, who too comes from the Terai. He is also likely to meet Foreign Minister Upendra Yadav and other leaders from the plains.
It was not known immediately if Mulayam Singh and Amar Singh would meet Nepal’s Maoist Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda.
The Maoists are wary of the influence Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have on the Terai and have in the past blamed criminal elements and Hindu fanatics from the two states for violence in the plains.
Industrialist Anil Ambani, who ranks sixth on the list of the richest men in the world compiled by Forbes magazine in 2008, is also arriving in Kathmandu Sunday on a private visit.
The Indian billionaire is likely to visit Nepal’s sacred Pashupatinath temple. In the past, his wife and former actress Tina Ambani had visited the Hindu shrine with Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan’s actress wife Jaya Bachchan and their son Abhishek.
Also arriving in the Nepali capital next week is Bollywood actress, activist and former MP Shabana Azmi.
Shabana, a SAARC goodwill ambassador for HIV/AIDS in the region, will be visiting Nepal in connection with a SAARC programme.