New Delhi/Kathmandu, Feb 2 (IANS): External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has conveyed to leaders of all political parties of Nepal, including Prime-Minister-in-waiting K.P. Sharma Oli, that India is looking forward to working with the new government in the Himalayan nation, the External Affairs Ministry said on Friday.
According to a statement issued by the ministry, Sushma Swaraj, during the course of her two-day visit to Kathmandu, "congratulated the government and people of Nepal for the successful conduct of three-tier elections in Nepal, which is an important milestone in the democratic transition of Nepal".
It said she "conveyed to all political leaders of Nepal that the government of India is looking forward to working with the democratically elected government to take forward bilateral ties to newer heights for mutual benefit, and to support the government of Nepal, as per its priorities, in its endeavours for rapid economic growth and development".
During the course of her visit, Sushma Swaraj met Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba. Chairman of Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) K.P. Sharma Oli, Chairman of CPN-Maoist Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda', Chairman of Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal (FSF-N) Upendra Yadav, Coordinator of the Presidium Mahanta Thakur, and leaders of the Rashtriya Janta Party-Nepal (RJP-N).
The CPN-UML emerged as the largest party in the Provincial and Federal Assemblies elections, followed by the CPN-Maoist.
According to External Affairs Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar, Sushma Swaraj, during the course of a courtesy call on Friday, congratulated President Bhandari on the successful conduct of elections in Nepal.
"Exchange of views on advancing our muti-dimensional relationship took place," Kumar tweeted.
He said that Sushma Swaraj also congratulated Prime Minister Deuba on the successful conduct of the elections.
"Discussions focused on enhancing our bilateral cooperation to take our age-old and historical partnership forward," Kumar said .
Earlier in the day, Sushma Swaraj met Federal Socialist Forum Nepal (FSFN) chief Upendra Yadav and complimented him on his party's performance in the last held elections. The two leaders discussed steps to further strengthen bilateral ties.
On Thursday, soon after reaching Kathmandu, Sushma Swaraj held two meetings with CPN-UML chief Oli, who is set to form a new government.
The focus and objective of her visit was to meet and cultivate Oli, who is widely seen as Prime Minister in waiting, and who New Delhi is apprehensive may tilt towards China as he had done during his last tenure as Prime Minister in late 2015.
Sushma Swaraj and Oli held a one-on-one meeting for over an hour, Oli's press coordinator Chetan Adhikari said, without divulging any details.
Kumar, said that the two leaders "held wide ranging discussions on ways to take the special relations between India and Nepal forward".
Sources said that both Oli and Sushma Swaraj have agreed to "forget the past bitterness" that was triggered after the blockade of the Nepal-India border and decided to move ahead with a fresh start to take the bilateral ties to a new height.
Oli later hosted a dinner in honour of Sushma Swaraj and the visiting Indian delegation.
Sushma Swaraj also held talks with Madhes-based leaders and discussed a wide range of issues, including that of the constitutional amendment in favour of the Madhesi population.
During a meeting with the political leadership of the Rashtriya Janata Party-Nepal, one of the Madhesi parties, she congratulated them on their electoral performance besides discussing "ways to take forward friendship and cooperation between the people of the two countries".