Shyam Sharan spent his 48-hour visit saying different things to different political parties and leaders. Sharan chose to say whatever was most favourable to whichever party he talked to, and that is one reason he had to return empty handed this time, say analysts. Sources do say, however, that Sharan managed to bring up the issue of China's growing influence in Nepal with everyone from Prime Minister Girija Koirala to Maoist Chairman Prachanda.

He also expressed the Indian government's unease at China's posting of 200,000 soldiers along the northern Nepal-China border, says a Maoist source. China posted the soldiers during the time of the royal regime. There are 100,000 of them along the Khasa border, 50,000 along Taplejung's Olangchunggola border and 50,000 along the Mugu border.

Sharan also expressed dissatisfaction at the growing contact between the Maoists and China and also the prime minister's comments about getting petrol from China.

Nepali politicians responded to this by pointing out India's forces at Kalapani and the thousands of soldiers posted along the southern Nepali border for 'border security'.