Kathmandu, June 8:

General secretary of the CPN-UML Madhav Kumar Nepal today said Nepali people’s verdict on monarchy in the constituent assembly polls will be acceptable to India.

Nepal was talking to reporters at the Tribhuvan International Airport upon his arrival from

a week-long visit to India.

In New Delhi, Nepal met Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, former PM Atal Behari Vajpayee, BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani, Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee and leftist leaders.

“Indian leaders, including the prime minister, Sonia Gandhi, Vajpayee and Advani, told me that it is up to the Nepali people to decide on the political system they want to have through the assembly elections,” Nepal said.

According to him, Vajpayee said “monarchy has ceased its relevance” in Nepal’s changed political scenario. Terming his tour a success, Nepal said the Indian leaders were unanimous in saying that a stable and prosperous Nepal was also in the interest of India.

Asked what transpired between him and the Indian PM, the UML chief said Dr Singh stressed the need for eight-party unity and timely assembly elections that would help institutionalise the hard-earned achievement of Jana Andolan-II. He said Dr Singh agreed to the UML stance that a nominated government should not remain in office for long as it would create complications.

According to him, the Indian leaders were concerned about the Maoists’ and their youth wing Young Communist League’s activities and hoped they would mend their ways. He added that nothing was discussed to “isolate the Maoists” during his meeting with the Indian leaders, contrary to what had appeared in a section of the Nepali media. He said they also discussed inclusive democracy that could address the issues of the Madhesis, Janajatis, women, dalits and backward communities.

During his meeting with Pranab Mukherjee, Nepal said he asked the Indian minister to execute the Pancheswor High Dam Project, an agreement of which was signed between the two countries in 1996.

On the Indian leaders’ stance on the Bhutanese refugee issue, Nepal said he asked the leaders there not to create hurdles for the refugees while returning to their homeland. “We will consider the issue,” Nepal quoted Mukherjee as saying.