Former Indian Ambassador to Nepal Saran separately called on UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Nepali Congress Acting President Sushil Koirala and CPN-UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal at their residences at Nayabazar, Maharajgunj and Dallu respectively Thursday morning. [break]
Following meeting with Maoist leaders, the party’s vice chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha told reporters that talks with the visiting envoy were mainly focused on issues surrounding peace and constitution. "He [Saran] said he didn´t come here to impose his government´s views in the formation of government in Nepal," Shrestha said. According to him, Saran told Maoist leaders that India also wants formation of national consensus government in Nepal. Chairman Dahal, Vice-chairmen Mohan Baidya, Dr. Baburam Bhattarai and Shrestha, General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa and foreign department chief, Krishna Bahadur Mahara were present during the meeting.
Saran who was accompanied by Indian Ambassador Rakesh Sood also held separate meetings with Nepali Congress Acting President Sushil Koirala at the latter’s residence at Maharajgunj and CPN-UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal at his residence in Dallu.
Upon his arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) on Wednesday, he had said the prime minister of India sent him here as an envoy so that he could, along with Sood, "have extensive round of meetings with all the political leaders in the country to see if there is some way in which we can try to build consensus".
"We have great interest, as neighboring country in the political stability of Nepal, and in the economic prosperity of Nepal," he told reporters at the TIA. According to officials at the Indian Embassy, he is likely to return home Thursday.
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