Prachanda meets Mukherjee, Advani

New Delhi, Sept 15 : Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda today met External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and the leader of the Opposition L. K. Advani and discussed issues of mutual interest.

Later, Prachanda called on President Pratibha Patil at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Prachanda, who is here on a five-day official visit, will hold discussions with Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on various bilateral and regional issues in the evening.

He is likely to seek India's help in drafting the Constitution of his country.

During his talks, Prachanda will aim to review the 1950 Indo-Nepal Trade and Transit Treaty, besides crisis over the Saptakoshi embankment and other agreements.

Prachanda is scheduled to meet UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Railway Minster Lalu Prasad Yadav, Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav, and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Yadav, besides former prime ministers VP Singh, Dewe Gowda and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Prachanda is accompanied by a 44-member delegation on his maiden visit to India after becoming the Prime Minister.

The Nepali Prime Minister's visit will end on September 18.

ANI