New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated the people and government of Nepal for the successful conduct of elections in the Himalayan nation, and said the historic milestone is a proud moment in Nepal’s democratic journey.
Modi also said that as a close friend and neighbour, India remains steadfast in its commitment to working closely with the people of Nepal and its new government to scale new heights of shared peace, progress and prosperity.
“I warmly congratulate the people and government of Nepal on the successful and peaceful conduct of elections. It is heartening to see my Nepali sisters and brothers exercise their democratic rights so vibrantly. This historic milestone is a proud moment in Nepal’s democratic journey,” Modi said in a post on X.
The Prime Minister’s remarks came as rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah’s Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) appeared to be heading for a sweeping victory in Nepal’s first general elections since the violent Gen Z protests that toppled the government led by K P Sharma Oli last year.
According to the Election Commission of Nepal, the RSP has already secured 40 seats and is leading in 80 constituencies. The Nepali Congress has won six seats, while the Nepal Communist Party and Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) led by Oli have two winners each.
35-year-old engineer Shah is expected to be the next prime minister of Nepal, reflecting a public mood of rejection of established parties. Nepal has had 14 governments in the last 18 years.
India has been closely observing the election, hoping that a stable government will be formed in the politically fragile Himalayan neighbour Nepal to carry forward the two sides’ development partnership.
“We look forward to working with the new Government of Nepal to further build on the robust multifaceted ties between our two countries and peoples for mutual benefit,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said in Delhi on Thursday.
He said India has “consistently supported peace, progress and stability in Nepal and in keeping with our commitment, provided logistical supplies as per request from the Government of Nepal for these elections”.
