PM Modi's visit successful, but must implement past agreements: Nepali leaders

Leaders of various political parties in Nepal today said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the country was successful but underlined the need to implement the past agreements.

Speaking at an interaction programme in the capital, Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Democratic) chief Pashupati Shamsher Rana said the visit created an opportunity to harmonise the bilateral relations as some sorts of misunderstandings had surfaced between the two countries.

Secretary of ruling CPN (UML), Bhim Acharya said the Prime Minister's visit was important and its success depends on the implementation of the past agreements.

Nepali Congress leader Narayan Khadka said the visit seemed successful but the crucial issues such as the border problem were not meaningfully addressed.

He argued that the visit would be limited to ritual if such issues were not addressed.

Rastriya Janata Party leader Laxman Lal Karna said the visit was largely successful towards strengthening the bilateral relations.

Modi wrapped up his two-day visit to Nepal on May 11 during which he held talks with Nepal Premier K P Sharma Oli and other top leaders and discussed the issues of mutual interest.

Modi said India supports a "united, prosperous and strong" Nepal as he strongly backed Oli's vision to transform the land-locked Himalayan nation into a land- and water-linked country.

Briefing Nepal's Parliament yesterday, Oli said the visit has elevated bilateral ties to new heights.

The two countries agreed to expedite implementation of all pending projects of bilateral cooperation by Nepal's Constitution Day in September, Oli had said, adding that multiple bilateral ministerial meetings will be held.

The two countries have also agreed to form a taskforce of technicians to explore possibilities of developing railways and waterways, he said.

The ties between India and Nepal had strained after the adoption of a new Constitution by Nepal in 2015 that divided Nepal into seven provincial units and marginalised Madhesis, who are largely of Indian-origin and inhabitants of the Terai.

The move had triggered a six-month-long agitation, from September 2015 to February 2016, during Oli's first tenure in which more than 50 people were killed.

The agitation had also crippled the land-locked country's economy as supplies from India were blocked.