PM Modi speaks to new Nepal PM Sher Bahadur Deuba on better ties, Covid battle

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had immediately congratulated Sher Bahadur Deuba after he won a vote of confidence in the reinstated House of Representatives on Sunday night.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday he congratulated his Nepal counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba on winning the vote of confidence in the country’s parliament. Modi said the two leaders would work together to enhance cooperation between India and Nepal, including the ongoing fight against the coronavirus (Covid-19) disease.

File image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (ANI)

Taking to Twitter, Modi wrote, “Spoke with Nepal PM Sher Bahadur Deuba to convey my congratulations and best wishes. We will work together to further enhance the wide-ranging cooperation between India and Nepal, including in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Later, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in a statement, said, the PMs of India and Nepal agreed to work together to enhance bilateral cooperation in all areas. "They discussed, in particular, ways to strengthen cooperation and coordination in the context of ongoing effort against the Covid-19 pandemic," the MEA said.

Modi had immediately congratulated Deuba after he won a vote of confidence in the reinstated House of Representatives on Sunday night. In a tweet Modi said, "Congratulations Prime Minister @DeubaSherbdr and best wishes for a successful tenure. I look forward to working with you to further enhance our unique partnership in all sectors, and strengthen our deep-rooted people-to-people ties."

Soon after, Deuba said he was looking forward to working closely with Modi to strengthen the relations between the two neighbours and people-to-people contacts. The 75-year-old president of the Nepali Congress won a trust vote in the reinstated lower House of Representatives and comfortably won it, averting a general election in the Himalayan nation amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Deuba, who was appointed as the prime minister as per the Article 76(5) of the Constitution on July 12 following Supreme Court's intervention, secured 165 votes in the 275-member House on Sunday.

Sunday's outcome of the trust vote paved the way for Deuba to remain in office for the next one-and-a-half years until a fresh parliamentary election is held.

Previously, Deuba had served at the helm on four occasions; first from 1995 to 1997, then from 2001 to 2002, again from 2004 to 2005, and from 2017 to 2018.

(With agency inputs)