/Modi congratulates Deuba on securing trust vote win
NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Nepal’s new Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on Monday agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation and strengthen coordination in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Modi spoke on the phone with Deuba a day after he comfortably won a vote of confidence in Nepal’s reinstated parliament with the backing of his Nepali Congress Party and other parties. Modi conveyed his congratulations and best wishes to Deuba on being appointed the prime minister and for winning the confidence vote.
“Recalling the unique and millenia-old people-to-people linkages that underpin the special friendship between India and Nepal, the leaders agreed to work together to enhance bilateral cooperation in all areas,” the external affairs ministry said in a readout of the conversation.
“They discussed, in particular, ways to strengthen cooperation and coordination in the context of ongoing effort against the Covid-19 pandemic,” it said.
In a tweet, Modi said he and Deuba “will work together to further enhance the wide-ranging cooperation between India and Nepal, including in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic”.
Deuba secured 165 votes in the vote in the 271-member House of Representatives or lower house on Sunday evening. A total of 83 MPs, mostly supporters of CPN-UML chair and outgoing premier KP Sharma Oli, voted against Deuba.
The vote of confidence put paid to desperate efforts by Oli to cling on to power after serious differences emerged within the government.