NC chief Koirala set to visit India

On the official invitation of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala is all set to visit New Delhi in first week of August. This is his first official visit to India after being elected as the party president in September 2010. The five-day visit comes soon after three former prime ministers—Madhav Kumar Nepal, who is currently in Delhi, Sher Bahadur Deuba and Pushpa Kamal Dahal—visited India and interacted with senior Indian politicians and officials. During these visits, all these ex-PMs exchanged views on wide range of bilateral issues and most mportantly, the status of upcoming Constituent Assembly elections while seeking Indian best wishes. The Indian side has been claiming that these visits are part of the Indian government’s policy to expand talks and consultations with the Nepali political parties to further strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries. During the visit, Koirala will get an opportunity to meet with Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, leaders from the ruling and opposition parties, among others. As of now, Koirala will leave for Delhi on August 4 and meet with Indian Prime Minister Singh on August 5, said his aide Laxman Dhakal. His itinerary, however, is yet be ascertained. Earlier in July 2011, Koirala had made an unofficial visit to India while he was returning from the US and Europe tour and held meetings with Mukherjee (then finance minister), Singh, Gandhi and other Indian leaders and officials. Though the list of leaders accompanying Koirala during the visit is yet to be prepared, two general secretaries of the party—Prakashman Singh and Krishna Prasad Situala—are likely to be included. After Koirala, Delhi is planning to invite another former PM and CPN-UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal and some Tarai-based leaders to India, sources said.