India asks Maoists to form a govt of national unity

He said New Delhi would like to see a peaceful, stable and democratic Nepal.

The Constituent Assembly that has been elected will have to take decisions on a number of “important and sensitive issues” and these decisions have to be based in the spirit of consensus, he pointed out.

Sood said the political parties should work on the basis of national consensus as the main focus in the next two years would be to draft a new constitution.

He said during his meeting with the Nepalese political leaders he told them that India would like to see a peaceful, stable, democratic and prosperous Nepal.

We had extended all possible help to Nepal to ensure a peaceful election and now we are ready to work with the government of Nepal in accordance with the priorities and the wishes of the government and the people of Nepal.

We will continue to extend our contribution towards Nepal’s transition for a stable and prosperous democracy, Sood said.

“We have seen the decision that has been made by the people of Nepal and their desire to make Nepal a republic.

This is the decision of the people of Nepal. Our relationship with Nepal will continue to grow irrespective of whether Nepal is a republic or which party forms the government,” he said when asked about how India would view the transition to a republic from a constitutional monarchy.

Sood has held a series of meetings with top Nepalese leaders including Maoist supremo Prachanda to in the last couple of days and discussed the latest political developments in the country.

Nepal’s Constituent Assembly will meet on May 28 for the first time when it would also abolish the 240-year-old monarchy.

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has called the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly on that date, which would implement the decision to establish a republic by abolishing the institution.

CPN-Maoist, which secured 220 seats in the 601 member Constituent Assembly, is eager to head the new government under the leadership of Prachanda and has also claimed the post of President in the new government.

Nepali Congress of outgoing Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and CPN-UML, which emerged as the second and third largest parties respectively in last month’s Constituent Assembly polls, said they have decided not to join a Maoist-led government immediately and their first priority was to declare the country a republic.