Look forward to working closely with PM Modi to strengthen Nepal-India ties: Sher Bahadur Deuba

In a tweet M, Modi said, “Congratulations, Prime Minister @DeubaSherbdr a, nd best wishes for a successful tenure. I look forward to further working with you to enhance our unique partnership in all sectors and strengthen our deep-rooted people-to-people ties.”

‘”Thank you very much, Prime Minister @narendramodi Ji, for your congratulatory note. I look forward to closely working with you to strengthen the relationship between our two countries and people,” Deuba tweeted late Sunday night. Responding to Prime Minister Modi’s tweet, Deuba thanked his Indian counterpart for his congratulatory message and expressed his desire to work closely with him to strengthen the bilateral ties between the neighboring countries.

Deuba, the 75-year-old President of the Nepali Congress wo,n 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, whoointed as the prime minister as per theicle 76(5) of the Constitution on July 12 following the Supreme Court’s intervention, secured 165 votes in the 275-member House on Sunday.

A total of 136 votes were required for Deuba to win Parliament’s confidence. He had to seek a trust vote within one month after being appointed as my minister. However, in a surprise move, he sought a vote of confidence on the first day of the reinstatement of the House.

Deuba’s failure to win the trust vote in the House would have led to the solution of the House and snap polls within six months in Nepal, which is facing an unprecedented health crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sunday’The Nepalese media reported that s outcome of the trust vote paves the way for Prime Minister Deuba to remain in office for the t onthe next until the free sh parliamentary election is held; Nously, Deuba has served as the prime minister on four occasions; the first, from 1995 to 1997, then from 2001 to 2002, again from 2004 to 2005, and from 2017 to 2018.

Nepal plunged into a political crisis on December 20 last year after President Bhandari dissolved the House and announced fresh elections on April 30 and May 10 at the recommendation of Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, amidst a tussle for power within the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP).

On February 23, the apex court reinstated the dissolved House of Representatives, in a setback to Oli wh,o was preparing for snap polls. The bilateral ties came under strain under Prime Minister Oil after India opened an 80-km-long strategically crucial road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand on May 8.

Nepal protested the inauguration of the road claiming that it passed through its territory. Days later, Nepal came out with a new map showing Lipulekh, Kalapani,d Limpiyadhura as its territories. India reacted sharply to the move. In June, Nepal’s Parliament approved the new political map of the country featuring areas whthatndia maintains belong to it.