Kathmandu, August 19
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s special emissary to New Delhi DPM Bimalendra Nidhi met Indian President Pranab Mukherjee and foreign minister Sushma Swaraj in the Indian capital on Friday.
Nidhi first met home minister Rajnath Singh, then foreign minister Sushma Swaraj and President Mukherjee, separately. During his meeting with President Mukherjee, Nidhi formally invited, on behalf of President Bhandari, the Indian Head of State to visit Nepal.
Prime Minister Prachanda, according to sources, has sent three messages to New Delhi through Nidhi. The messages were relayed to Swaraj, sources say.
Prachanda wants India to know that his government wants to improve ties with India and revert it to the level it was in when Modi visited Nepal two years ago. Second, he wants Delhi to understand that the new government stands ready to address the legitimate demands of the Madheshis. Similarly, Nidhi told Swaraj that the government wants to welcome the Indian President to Nepal.
In response, Swaraj is learnt to have inquired about the government’s plans to address the concerns of the the Madheshis.
In addition to this, the Postal Highway, East-west railway, and reconstruction aid also figured in the talks. Nidhi told Swaraj that the government wants to provide Rs 100,000 more to each household that lost its shelter in the quake last year.
The Indian government has responded positively to the proposal, and it would be taken up during Prachanda’s visit to India, sources said.
