New Delhi, May 25: Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala is planning to visit India on June 1, a move that is likely to put to test King Gyanendra’s intentions of restoring democracy in the country.

Sources in the Nepali Congress said Koirala will not slip out of the country surreptitiously but is likely to take the flight from Kathmandu. Whether he is allowed to leave the country will give an indication of the king’s intention.

The veteran Nepalese leader has gone on record saying no compromise with Gyanendra was possible till he took serious and urgent steps to bring back democracy.

Koirala’s trip will also clear the air on the Indian leadership’s attitude towards Nepal.

All eyes will be on how South Block deals with Koirala and the number of senior leaders he is allowed to meet in Delhi.

India has been stressing that constitutional monarchy and multi-party democracy are the pillars of Nepal’s political stability and economic progress.

It has welcomed the coming together of the seven major parties in Kathmandu and their joint statement for restoration of people’s power.

Delhi has said the statement is “a good basis” on which Gyanendra can start talks with the parties.

Although India decided to resume defence cooperation with the Royal Nepal Army (RNA) early this month, relations between Delhi and the monarch have been under strain lately.

The RNA accused India of using its Left allies to establish a link with the Maoists.

Gulf News had carried a report about a meeting between Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai and CPM general secretary Prakash Karat in Delhi some days ago. Soon after, the RNA released taped conversations of Maoist leaders to establish India’s links with the rebels.

The RNA’s decision to go public with the tape made it apparent that the king and his associates wanted to embarrass India.

There are murmurs in Delhi about opening links with the Maoists being an option to deal with the situation in Nepal, especially when Gyanendra is trying to renege on the promised roadmap to democracy.

However, with most countries, particularly the US, viewing them as “terrorists”, the Indian establishment is yet to take a decision.