During his meetings with the top leaders of various political parties, Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who was on a day-long visit to Nepal, on Sunday expressed such views.[break]
During his nearly seven hours stay in Kathmandu, Mukherjee separately called on President Dr Ram Baran Yadav, Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, Finance Minister Barshaman Pun and the top leaders of major political parties.
According to Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar, who was present at the meeting, Mukherjee assured them of India´s full support to Nepal´s transition to a pluralistic and inclusive multi-party democracy.
“The political parties should move ahead with consensus. I assure you of India´s continued support to Nepal in its transition to a democratic, prosperous, peaceful and stable future,” Gachchhadar quoted Mukherjee as saying at the meeting.
NC Vice-president Ram Chandra Paudel, who was also present at the meeting, told media persons that Mukherjee inquired about the progress in the peace process and preparations for the extension of the Constituent Assembly (CA) term.
In response, NC leaders said that despite some progress in the peace process, the Maoist party have not been seriously honoring the past peace agreements.
CPN-UML Senior leader KP Oli said that they briefed Mukherjee on the peace process and constitution writing.
“We informed him that the peace process has taken a positive turn and it must be expedited. However, the Maoists lack honesty in implementation of the agreement between the political parties,” added Oli.
Earlier, at a press meet, Mukherjee said India welcomes the seven-point agreement, which he said provides a solid basis for successfully concluding the remaining tasks of Nepal´s peace process.
“We congratulate the people and the political parties in Nepal for their commitment to peaceful resolution of the outstanding issues, in a sprit of consensus forged by matured leadership,” he stated.
Who reached Dwarika´s to talk to Mukherjee?
After holding separate talks with President Yadav at the latter´s office in Sheetal Niwas, Prime Minister Bhattarai and Finance Minister Pun, Mukherjee reached Dwarika´s Hotel to meet the leaders of various political parties.
Mukherjee first of all held talks with NC President Sushil Koirala, and then with the top leaders of NC, including Sher Bahadur Deuba.
He then held talks with Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Emerging from the meeting Dahal briefly told media persons that it was just a courtesy call.
After meeting Dahal, Mukherjee held talks with CPN-UML leaders. Vice Chair of CPN-UML Bidya Devi Bhandari, Standing Committee member Bharat Mohan Adhikari and senior leader Oli, among others, were present at the meeting.
Mukherjee also held talks with leaders of the Madhes-based political parties. Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar, who is also the chairman of Madhesi People´s Rights Forum-Democratic (MPRF-D), Information and Communication Minister and Chair of MPRF-R JP Gupta, Chairman of Tarai Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP) Mahantha Thakur, Irrigation Minister and Chair of TMDP-N Mahendra Yadav, Chairman of Federal Sadbhwana Party and Commerce Minister Anil Kumar Jha, Health Minister and Chair of Sadbhwana Party Rajendra Mahato and Minister for Labor and Transport Sarita Giri were present at the joint meeting.
Chairman of MPRF Upendra Yadav was not seen at the meeting.
Mukherjee left Kathmandu for New Delhi on Sunday evening.
UML Chairman shuns meet with Mukherjee
CPN-UML Chairman and former Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal shunned a meeting with visiting Indian Minister for Finance Pranab Mukherjee.
Though chiefs of other major political parties, including UCPN (Maoist) Chairman and former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Nepali Congress (NC) President Sushil Koirala, reached Dwarika´s Hotel at Battisputali, where Mukherjee was staying, Khanal didn´t go there.
"The chairman couldn´t manage time for the meeting with Indian minister due to his prescheduled programs," said a UML leader. But sources said, Khanal skipped the meeting saying that it would be against the protocol for a former prime minister and a party chief to go to the hotel to call on a visiting cabinet minister from a neighboring country.
"He would have definitely managed time for meeting Mukherjee had he come to the UML´s party office or at the chairman´s residence," said another UML leader, preferring anonymity for diplomatic reason. UML leader KP Sharma Oli reached the hotel along with other party leaders to meet the Indian finance minister.
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