KATHMANDU, July 10: While expressing readiness to extend all necessary support for holding fresh Constituent Assembly (CA) elections, visiting Indian Minister for External Affairs Salman Khurshid has urged political parties in Nepal to hold the poll on the scheduled date of November 19 at any cost.
Minister Khurshid, who arrived in Kathmandu Tuesday morning on a day-long visit at the invitation of his Nepali counterpart Madhav Prasad Ghimire, urged the political parties to go to elections on the scheduled date even as their best efforts fail to bring the agitating parties on board the election process. “He [Khurshid] had a clear message. Do not defer elections even as efforts to bring the agitating parties on board the election process fail to yield any results,” said NC leader Bimalendra Nidhi, who was among Nepali Congress (NC) leaders who met Khurshid. [break]
During separate meetings with leaders of the UCPN (Maoist), NC, CPN-UML and Madhes-based parties, Khurshid had urged the parties to forge consensus on the disputed issues at the earliest and go to polls on the scheduled date. “Minister Khurshid has expressed goodwill toward the election in Nepal. He told us that India wishes to see Nepal holding the poll on the scheduled date,” CPN-Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal told media.
At a press conference organized before wrapping up his visit, Khurshid said it would be good if all the political parties came on board the election process. “It is the rational and reasonable response we can give. Rest, it is the people and political parties in Nepal to decide how they want to move forward,” said Khurshid when asked if he had suggested to the parties to go for polls even if some dissenting parties did not take part.
Khurshid, who said he arrived in Kathmandu to express India´s solidarity with elections, also expressed happiness that all major political parties were committed to holding the election. “India is ready to extend all manner of help within its capacity, based on request made by the Nepali side,” he said.
Earlier, during a meeting with Chairman of the Interim Election Council Khil Raj Regmi, the Indian side agreed to provide all logistical support for the security agencies and the Election Commission of Nepal. This includes 764 vehicles of different types costing approximately Rs 800 million. The vehicles will be delivered to Nepal by October, 2013. While 48 vehicles would be used by the EC, the rest will be used by the security agencies for poll purposes.
Shortly after arriving in Kathmandu via a special aircraft of the Indian Air Force, Khurshid held bilateral talks with his Nepali counterpart Madhav Ghimire. The talks covering all aspects of bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest.
According to MoFA Spokesperson Arjun Bahadur Thapa, the meeting dwelled on issues relating to augmenting electricity supply, defense cooperation, trade and economic cooperation, development partnership, water resources and an EximBank line of credit.
India agreed, among other things, to supply stores and equipment for the Nepal Army, as identified in the Bilateral Consultative Group on Security Issues, over the coming months, in view of the successful completion of the integration process. The immediate supplies sought by Nepal are valued at Rs 1.76 billion.
Minister Khurshid then paid a courtesy call on Chairman of the Interim Election Council Khil Raj Regmi at the latter´s office. After attending a lunch reception hosted by Minister Ghimire in his honor, he reached Shital Niwas to pay a courtesy call on President Dr Ram Baran Yadav.
Although the visit was arranged at short notice and cut short to one day instead of the originally scheduled two days, it went very well, with all the appointments covered.
Khurshid also managed to hold separate meetings with top leaders of various parties including UCPN (Maoist), NC and CPN-UML, and Madhes-based parties including agitating MPRF-Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav and Sharat Singh Bhandari, during his nine-hour stay in Kathmandu.
Top leaders of the parties had reached Hotel Dwarika, Battisputali to meet Khurshid. Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who cut short a visit to Singapore, arrived in Kathmandu at noon to meet Khurshid.
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