Vajpayee congratulates Koirala for PM nomination

New Delhi, Apr 25: Senior BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee today congratulated Girija Prasad Koirala after the seven-party alliance in Nepal unanimously nominated him for the post of Prime Minister.

In a message, Mr Vajpayee said the seven-party alliance had a historic role to play in the mission for building a new Nepal.

''Nepal is at crossroads and it has to take a fundamental shift from its past and at the same time maintain a sense of continuity. I hope under your wise and experienced leadership, Nepal will be able to achieve a lasting peace and stability for a prosperous future,'' Mr Vajpayee said.

Mr Vajpayee said India will stand by its Nepalese brothers and sisters who were guided by shared history, culture and economic relations.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Jaswant Singh has cancelled his visit to the troubled Himalayan Kingdom. Mr Singh was to reach Kathmandu yesterday as a representative of the BJP to help resolve the crisis but had changed his plans in view of the political developments there.

Nepal's Parliament was dissolved in 2002, and a multi-party government was suspended in February last year when King Gyanendra declared a state of emergency and assumed absolute power.

UNI

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