CPN-UML Secretary Pradeep Gyawali and member of party’s foreign department Yubaraj Banskota on Wednesday held a joint meeting with Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and Abhay Thakur, a joint-secretary at the Ministry of External Affairs, assigned to look after Nepal affairs at the Indian Prime Minister’s Office.

The two leaders are in Delhi as special representatives of party Chairman KP Sharma Oli to apprise the Indian establishment on the constitution drafting process met.

“You are at finishing stage of promulgating a new constitution after nine-years of continuous efforts and dialogue. It will be better to seek 100 percent consensus not just 90 percent if it is still possible to do so,” said NSA Doval adding, “If you have already spend a lot of time on this, if it is still possible do spend a few more days on consensus before you conclude it.”

During the meeting, Gyawali and Banskota briefed the Indian officials about Nepal’s recent political development and constitution writing process. “Over 90 percent of lawmakers of the 601-member Constituent Assembly have endorsed the constitution. We are still trying to take on-board the disgruntled parties through peaceful dialogue,” Gyawali told the Indian officials. He said that the major parties were trying to seek maximum consensus by

holding talks with the agitating Tharu and Madhesi communities living in the southern plains.

Banskota said that the Indian officials assured their support to the verdict of Nepali people. The UML leaders are expected to meet with Indian Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj. But no time has been confirmed until Wednesday evening.

Earlier on Wednesday, the two had met the former Indian ambassadors to Nepal Shivashanker Mukharjee and Jayanta Prasad at the Nepali Embassy in Delhi. They also met another former Indian envoy to Nepal KV Rajan at Indian International Center later in the afternoon.

 The UML, which is waiting to take charge of the government leadership, has sent its representatives to the Indian capital to seek support of the Indian government. Under a provision of the new constitution, a new prime minister has to be elected within a week from the promulgation of the new statute provided that Parliament is in session.

 Gyawali and Banskota are scheduled to meet with Bharatiya Janata Party leader Bhagat Singh Kosiyari and Nationalist Congress Chairman DP Tripathi on Thursday. Gyawali will also address a special function at the Jwaharlal Nehru University.

The visit by the UML duo follows that of Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba and UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who were here last month at the invitation of the Indian government. “The special representatives have now arrived in Delhi to seek Indian support, especially in light of the prospect of UML forming the new government,” said a leader of UML’s sister organisation in India.