I did mention Pachanda meeting up with Indian political and governmental functionaries before announcing his unilateral "cease-fire". Indian has political parties nicely tucked in her back pocket and Maoist in their front. Although I realize and accept that we ourselves are to blame, a whole lot, for much of the trouble brewing in our beloved nation today, India's role in engaging in activities to destabilize Nepal is undeniable. Nepal needs to learn to steer clear of India's inveigling schemes and grasping machinations. India does want to step up to "industrialized nation" status and get its economy going at full-throttle but at the same time it also wants to assert itself as an emerging world power, i.e., wants a permanent seat in the UN security. It is already a nuclear power. It wants a bigger say on what goes on in the region. China and Pakistan are its arch enemies in the immediate sorroundings. China is the next super-power to be after the good ole US of A and Pakistan with Mussarraf at the helm has all US backing. So, India has in the past, is now, and will in the future, engage in covert operations in the region( Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and some what Sri Lanka) to impose its hegemonist will on the governments in the above mentioned nations. Other than Bhutan, Nepal is the country that is most dependent on India for its survival due to our geographical reality. Nepal provides a "buffer zone" between India and China to some degree and Nepal has precious " water resources" potential that India can utilize a great deal in its quest to moderize to provide for irrigation and electricity in the states that neighbor Nepal. All the IOUs that India has collected from the political parties for ushering in multi-party democracy in 1990 will want to cash it all in. It's payback time! Furthermore, the RAW apparatus has being making a systematic penetration into all aspects of Nepali civil society. The job has been further made easier with all the unrest and turmoil. As we, Nepalis, fight amongst ourselves, India comfortably sits on the sidelines enjoying the melee. This is exactly what India has envisioned and I wouldn't be surprised if India steps in, and takes over control on the pretext of "security concerns".