India pledges support to Nepal for holding local polls

Kathmandu: India on Tuesday pledged support to Nepal for holding the contentious local elections, a day after China promised USD 1 million to the Himalayan nation for the May 14 polls.

India's support was pledged during Indian envoy to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri's meeting with Nepal's Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bimalendra Nidhi at the Ministry of Home Affairs in Singhdurbar Secretariat here.

The meeting comes after Puri presented his credentials to President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Sunday.

The two held discussions on aspects of the bilateral relationship and the latest political situation in the country, sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs here said.

Nidhi told the Indian diplomat about the logistics support Nepal expects from India for the local level elections, the sources said.

In response, Puri said India was ready to provide necessary support to Nepal.

The assurance by India came a day after Chinese President Xi Jinping committed 9 million yuan to Nepal for the local polls.

He made the commitment during a meeting in Beijing with Nepalese Prime Minister Prachanda, who is visiting China for high-level talks.

The May 14 local elections are being opposed by Madhesis, mostly of Indian-origin, who say the polls should be conducted only after their demands regarding the re-demarcation of provincial boundaries and other issues are addressed by an amendment to the new Constitution.