New Delhi, December 26:

India has reiterated its maximum possible cooperation for the smooth holding of constituent assembly polls in Nepal.

Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Ram Chandra Poudel, who is on a visit here, said the Indian leaders assured him of providing all possible cooperation for the coming polls.

Poudel separately met Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and foreign secretary Shiv Shankar Menon in this regard.

He said he discussed the Tarai unrest and rising crimes along the border, among other issues, with the Indian leaders. He added the problems, if any, would be solved at the political and security agencies’ level.

Poudel said the two countries have been working in closer cooperation to control crimes in the border areas, check the smuggling of arms and contraband and mount greater vigil against infiltration.

Poudel said the Indian leaders also expressed the opinion that any unrest in Nepal was not to India’s advantage and that the Indian government was very serious about helping Nepal quell it.

Poudel also attended a high tea at Rajya Sabha member Nirmala Deshpande’s house and held a tete-a-tete with Indian National Congress Party general secretary DP Tripathi.