Valley
DPM Thapa off to India on unofficial visit
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Kamal Thapa left for India on Monday on a three-day unofficial visit. He reached Bangalore on Monday evening itself.Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Kamal Thapa left for India on Monday on a three-day unofficial visit. He reached Bangalore on Monday evening itself.
After meeting Indian spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in Bangalore on Tuesday, DPM Thapa will fly to New Delhi later in the day, where he will be “meeting “important personalities including leaders, politicians as well as other distinguished persons from different walks of life”, according to a foreign ministry statement.
This is DPM Thapa’s second visit since the formation of the new government in October.
Talking to journalists before leaving for India DPM Thapa said “this visit was planned earlier”.
“But I will meet my Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj and Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar among others in New Delhi,” DPM Thapa added.
Thapa’s personal secretary Bharat Kumar Regmi, who is also the Under Secretary at the MoFA, is the only person accompanying him.
In his meeting with Indian officials, Thapa is likely to discuss the latest political situation in Nepal and efforts made by the government to address the concerns of Madhes-centric parties.
Issues related to border blockade will also be discussed.
Suresh Acharya, general secretary of International Relations of Thapa’s party, Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal, said Thapa’s meeting with spiritual leader Ravi Shankar “holds special significance as he has a strong clout in present Indian establishment and has been keenly following the developments in Nepal.”
“DPM Thapa will discuss the present status of Nepal-India relations, humanitarian crisis faced by Nepali people due to the blockade and crisis that the Nepalis are facing,” said Acharya, adding: “DPM Thapa will urge Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to use his ‘good offices’ to help end the ongoing crisis in Nepal.