UML senior leader Nepal meets Sonia Gandhi

KATHMANDU: CPN (UML) senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal, who is currently on a visit to India, had a meeting with the President of the Congress (I) party of India, Sonia Gandhi, in New Delhi today.

In the meeting with Gandhi who is also the Chairperson of the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA), Nepal briefed her on the present political situation in Nepal and the preparations going on for the upcoming Constituent Assembly election.

Leader Nepal is also scheduled to meet Indian PrimeMinister Dr Manmohan Singh.

According to Bishnu Rijal, leader Nepal’s press advisor, during the meeting Nepal said that regular meetings and exchange of visits and interactions between the leaders and parties of both countries would help understand each other’s issues. He expressed the belief that this process would deepen the mutual relations and make them free of bias.

He stated that the political parties have arrived at a point of consensus regarding protecting the achievements of the democratic movement and their institutional development.

Nepal also reiterated that election was the only alternative. He also expressed deep sympathies on the death of pilgrims in the recent floods in Uttarakhanda state of India.

On the occasion, Gandhi said that they wanted the democratic rights protected in Nepal and unity among all the democratic forces for the new election. She also expressed the belief that this would support cutting short the existing political transition in Nepal.

She added that the election would take Nepal toward economic development and also contribute towards making Nepal peaceful, democracy and prosperous.

UML general secretary Ishwar Pokhrel and Chief ofthe Foreign Department of the Indian Congress (I) party, Dr Karan Singh, were present in the meeting.