PM Modi congratulates Nepal PM Sher Bahadur Deuba on call; bilateral relations discussed

Newly elected Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had a telephonic conversation on Monday. PM Modi extended his congratulations and best wishes to Deuba. They recalled the unique and millennia-old people-to-people linkages that underpin the special friendship between India and Nepal. Both the leaders agreed to work together, to enhance bilateral cooperation in all areas, as per a government release.

They also spoke about ways to strengthen the cooperation and coordination between the countries, viewing, ongoing efforts against the COVID-19 pandemic. PM Modi put out a tweet about the conversation on his Twitter. His tweet said, 'Spoke with Prime Minister @DeubaSherbdr 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.'

PM Modi and Nepal PM Sher Bahadur Deuba discussed bilateral cooperation between countries 

Deuba had earlier said that he is looking forward to working closely with PM Modi, to strengthen ties between India and Nepal. He said, he wanted to strengthen the relationship between the two countries as well as the people-to-people contacts. This occurred after PM Modi had congratulated Deuba after he won a vote of confidence in the reinstated House of Representatives on Sunday night, July 18. PM Modi put out a tweet saying, “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”. In response to this, Deuba thanked him and spoke about his wishes to work closely with him and to make the bilateral ties between the two countries stronger.

PM Deuba's journey

Deuba had won the Presidency of the Nepali Congress by winning a trust vote in the reinstated lower House of Representatives, averting a general election in Nepal during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was appointed as the Prime Minister as per Article 76(5) of the Constitution on Monday, July 12, following Supreme Court's intervention, securing 165 votes in the 275-member House. He needed a total of 136 votes at a vote taken within a month of being appointed, but he called for a vote of confidence on the first day of the reinstatement of the House. Deuba has served as the Prime Minister of Nepal 4 times previously: 1995 to 1997, 2001 to 2002, 2004 to 2005, and 2017 to 2018. His current term will be for the next 1.5 years until a fresh parliamentary election can be held. This appointment was caused by a series of incidents, starting with the dissolution of the House by President Bhandari last year.

(IMAGE: PTI/AP)