Indian External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh Saturday wound up a two-day visit to Nepal, calling for a "national consensus" to resolve the country's lingering political crisis.
"It is essential to have a national consensus on the political question so that a time frame could be worked out for holding elections," Singh told reporters.
During the visit, he met King Gyanendra, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, opposition leaders Madhav Kumar Nepal and Girija Prasad Koirala among others.
Singh's reference to a "national consensus" was to the political wrangling that eased with the reinstatement of Deuba as the prime minister. On Saturday, Deuba said the election process would commence by April 2005.
Singh, who met Nepalese Army chief, Gen. Pyare Jung Thapa Saturday, said authorities in both countries concur that the Maoists rebels posed a common threat since they were "causing trouble not only in Nepal but in the Indian states of Bihar, Orissa, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh".
Kathmandu reciprocated Singh's statements wholeheartedly. King Gyanendra met the visiting dignitary at the palace gate Friday, a gesture normally reserved for heads of state.
The monarch also invited Indian President A.P.J Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi to visit Nepal.
Singh, according to Nepalese observers, has left behind immense goodwill by making the Himalayan kingdom his first port of call after assuming office last month.
Many perceived the visit to be an indication to the world of the importance that New Delhi attaches to good relations with Nepal.
Singh's statement that India has a great stake in maintaining political stability and economic development of Nepal has been received in a positive spirit and was not construed by the local media as an interference in the country's internal matters, as they are normally wont to.
Instead, it was projected as the outcome of a common concern towards Maoist insurgency that is affecting both the countries.
{{/usCountry}}Instead, it was projected as the outcome of a common concern towards Maoist insurgency that is affecting both the countries.
{{/usCountry}}The king praised Gandhi for declining the post of the prime minister of India despite her party winning the recent elections and called it an "unprecedented gesture", which has brought "very great credit to democracy".
India has also expressed its willingness in sharing with Nepal its organisational expertise in holding the world's largest parliamentary poll.
Singh said a Nepalese team is in Delhi for consultations with the Indian Election Commission. Kathmandu has requested Indian observers to monitor polls in elections in Nepal. He promised to place the request before the Indian prime minister and the union cabinet.
To a query about India's reaction to some adverse reactions in Nepal and Bangladesh over its river linking project pioneered by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Singh said India was committed to strengthening the SAARC.
"Our objective is to strengthen SAARC to make it a body where all regional issues can be resolved," he said.
Singh's visit could play an important role in reconciling the opposition parties in Nepal as any ruling government in Nepal would need their support for its continuance as their relentless campaign has forced two prime ministers to resign in the past.
Singh began his visit Friday by meeting Madhav Kumar Nepal, chief of the Communist party of Nepal-United Marxist-Leninist. Saturday morning, he visited Girija Prasad Koirala, head of the Nepali Congress.
Singh said he has asked Koirala to take the lead in bringing all the parties together so that democracy can work in Nepal.