Samaya Sandarva with Bishnu Rimal

Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli on Monday said his maiden visit to India this week is aimed at bringing bilateral ties back on track by clearing “misunderstandings” even as he defended the new Constitution, opposed by Madhesis, as “inclusive and democratic“. “There were some misunderstanding in the relations with our neighbour [India] and we have to correct the misunderstanding and bring back the relations on track. For that I am visiting India soon,” Mr. Oli said ahead of his eight—day visit to India starting on February

Mr. Oli’s much—anticipated visit to India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi comes days after agitating Madhesis, largely of Indian—origin, ended their crippling protests and blockade that had soured the bilateral ties. “My visit to India is aimed at normalising the past uneasy situation and also to further promote our age—old ties,” Mr. Oli said in his address at the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) special workshop on “Democratic Transition in Nepal“. “The year 2015 remained a landmark in our history as we were able to promulgate the new Constitution despite the hardship facing the people due to the five-month-long blockade in the country’s southern border, even after suffering from the devastating earthquake that hit the country ten months ago,” Mr. Oli said.