Let new constitution be through consensus, PM Narendra Modi tells Nepal PM K P Sharma Oli

NEW DELHI: Even as India on Saturday extended support for development of Nepal’s infrastructure and inked MoUs to put the landlocked state into the grid of regional connectivity through Bangladesh, Narendra Modi advised his Nepalese counterpart K P Sharma Oli to address remaining grievances of the agitationists by ensuring Constitution through consensus and dialogue.

On a six-day visit to India — his maiden trip abroad after assuming office — Oli on his part asserted that his trip was aimed to remove misunderstandings in the relationship since the Constitution was promulgated last August leading to major agitation in the Madhesh region of the Himalayan state. Following India’s advice the Oli government later made two amendments to the Constitution to meet demands of the Madhesis, and constituted commission for state boundaries days ahead of PM’s trip here.

Success of Nepal’s new Constitution will depend on “consensus and dialogue” and India was for peace, stability and overall development of the Himalayan nation, Modi said after holding extensive and wide-ranging talks with Oli on Nepal’s political developments, assistance projects besides economic and investment partnership.

The two sides inked nine MoUs to expand cooperation in a range of areas including in transport, transit (to Bangladesh) and power sectors. This also included an MoU on utilisation of $ 250 million out of $ 1 billion announced by India towards earthquake reconstruction.