Kathmandu, February 2
As Indian Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj, who landed in Kathmandu on a two-day goodwill visit as a special envoy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday, congratulated CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli for his left alliance’s victory in recent provincial and parliamentary elections, India has finally accepted Nepal’s new constitution promulgated in September 2015.
Earlier, India, formally and informally, had been stating that the constitution was flawed and needed amendments for its ‘all-side acceptance’. It had imposed a blockade on the border points for around six months after the constitution promulgation.
But now, Swaraj has not only congratulated Oli for the success in polls held under the constitution, but also expressed her hope for stability and prosperity under the new government in Oli’s leadership. It is a clear hint of India’s acceptance of the charter written by the people-elected body.
As Swaraj held a one-on-one meeting with the prime minister-in-waiting for 45 minutes and held a joint meeting with top UML leaders last night, she said the Modi government wished to cooperate with the new government here.
Upon her arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport yesterday, Swaraj had said, “We do not need an excuse to visit each other. My visit to Nepal is to meet friends from all political parties.” And, it was significant that her first ‘friend’ for bilateral meetings was Oli yesterday.
UML Secretary Pradeep Gyawali, who attended Oli’s dinner for Swaraj, informs that the guest told Oli that ‘indecisive people’s mandate’ could not result in political stability in any country; therefore India was happy with the landslide victory of left alliance here.
Modi has already telephoned Oli twice after the elections to congratulate him for the victory. Now, the visit by his senior Cabinet colleague as the PM’s representative is indicative of the his desire to mend ties with Oli and leftists here, that was once severely broken with the 2015 blockade.
