KATHMANDU: Former prime minister and former president of the Nepali Congress, Sher Bahadur Deuba, has returned to Nepal after spending nearly five and a half months abroad.
He was warmly welcomed at Tribhuvan International Airport today by supporters of the faction outside the official Nepali Congress leadership.
A significant number of leaders and cadres from the rival faction gathered at the airport to welcome Deuba. Some leaders aligned with the official Nepali Congress, led by party president Gagan Thapa, were also seen at the airport. Security was stepped up significantly in the area.
Following the welcome, a ‘road show’ for Deuba began. He left the airport standing halfway out of his car’s sunroof, waving to supporters gathered along the route. Hundreds of party cadres and supporters followed his convoy.
The scenes were reminiscent of the welcome given to former King Gyanendra when he returned to Pokhara some time ago, although today’s crowd was nowhere near the size of that gathering.
Supporters escorted Deuba in a convoy to his temporary residence in Maharajgunj.
Deuba’s residence in Budhanilkantha was destroyed during the Gen-Z-led protests, during which Deuba and his wife were also injured.
