India, China congratulate Prachanda on becoming Nepal PM, seek better bilateral ties

Nepal's newly elected Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal

India on Friday congratulated Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda" on being appointed as the new Prime Minister of Nepal and sought further strengthening of bilateral ties.

In a meeting with Prime Minister Prachanda on Friday, Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava handed over a congratulatory letter to the Premier at the PM's Office at Singhdurbar, according to sources at the PM's Office.

During the meeting they discussed ways to strengthen Nepal-India ties, sources said.

On December 25, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Prachanda soon after he was elected as the new leader of Nepal and said he looks forward to working with him to further strengthen the friendship between the two countries.

"Warmest congratulations @cmprachanda on being elected as the Prime Minister of Nepal. The unique relationship between India and Nepal is based on deep cultural connect and warm people-to-people ties. I look forward to working together with you to further strengthen this friendship," Modi said in a tweet on December 25.

Meanwhile, Wang Xin, the Charge daffaires of the Chinese Embassy in Nepal, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Prachanda and handed over him a congratulatory letter from Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

"Mr Wang Xin, Charge dAffairs of the Chinese Embassy in Nepal called on Prime Minister Prachanda @cmprachanda, conveyed the congratulatory message from Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, and exchanged views on China-Nepal relations and issues of mutual interest," the Chinese embassy said in its Twitter.

Prachanda, 68, was appointed as the new prime minister by President Bidya Devi Bhandari after he surprisingly walked away from the five-party ruling alliance led by Deuba's Nepali Congress and staked a claim for the premier's post before the deadline set by the president expired on Sunday.

He was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Nepal for a third time on Monday.