India’s MEA Sushma Swaraj in Nepal, Meets Prachanda  

Visiting Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Friday here in Nepal held talks with CPN-Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda'.

According to MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar, Sushma Swaraj complimented him on his party's performance in the last held elections.The two leaders discussed steps to further strengthen bilateral ties, he added.

The CPN-Maoist Centre has emerged as the second largest party in the Provincial and Federal Assemblies elections, just behind the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML).

Sushma held talks with top UML leaders on Thursday in a bid to mend ties at a time when UML chief K.P. Oli will lead the next government in the Himalayan nation.

During the talks, both the UML and visiting Indian delegations agreed to widen and strengthen the two nations' ties in the new changed context.

India wishes to see a stable, democratic and prosperous Nepal, she said, and expressed happiness over the sucessful elections in the country which were fundamental in consolidating the democracy and political stability as well as implementation of the new constitution.

Before wrapping up her two-day goodwill visit, she will also call on Nepali President Bidhya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.

IANS