Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khursid paid a day-long visit to Kathmandu on Tuesday, meeting top officials and pledging India’s support

for the institutionlisation of democracy in Nepal.

He came at a time when new doubts have arisen about whether the main parties have the political will to push through with elections set for 19

November. Khursid met with the chairman of the interim electoral council,Khil Raj Regmi and President Ram Baran Yadav at their offices. But he met

other political party leaders one-by-one at the Dwarika Hotel. Among them was UCPN (M) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal who returned on Tuesday from

Singapore, cutting short a visit for the medical treatment of his wife, Sita.

"Our relations with Nepal are very important and the relations will continue to be, a matter of the highest priority for India," Khurshid said

on arrival at the airport on Tuesday morning. "India is strongly committed to working with the people of Nepal for a democratic, stable, peaceful and

prosperous Nepal."

Khurshid and his delegation was supposed to spend two days in Kathmandu, but cut short his visit because of pressing engagements back home. In his

talks with party leaders, Khursid is said to have urged them to show more of a sense of urgency to complete elections in November.

The elections as well as the appointment of the sitting Chief Justice to head an election government is widely believed to have been an Indian

project, and there is dismay in Delhi about the faltering resolve among Nepal’s political parties about elections.

Political parties can’t agree among themselves on the rules for elections, and infighting within all the main parties and the splintered Madhesi

groups has intensified as the dates of elections near. It is thought that the UCPN(M) is not keen on elections as long as it is not assured of a

two-thirds majority, and it can’t get that until the party reunites and forges an electoral alliance with the Madhesi parties. But before that the

party has to resolve an internal power struggle between Dahal and Baburam Bhattarai at its extended Central Committee meeting next week.

Meanwhile, the leaders of the CPN-M Mohan Baidya and CP Gajurel left for a visit to China on Monday night, so Khursid could not meet the leaders of

the party that is not just boycotting the polls but also threatening to sabotage it.

Khursid told a press conference before flying back: "We are hoping for a free and fair election in November that will help strengthen democracy and

ensure stability and prosperity in Nepal.”

He also pledged support in the form of election paraphernalia for the November polls, including 716 vehicles for police and the Election

Commission and other logistics. However, India had earlier said it cannot supply electronic voting machines by November because there just too many

political parties.

Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid paid a day-long visit to Kathmandu on Tuesday, meeting top officials and pledging India’s support for the institutionlisation of democracy in Nepal.

He came at a time when new doubts have arisen about whether the main parties have the political will to push through with elections set for 19 November. Khurshid met with the chairman of the interim electoral council,Khil Raj Regmi and President Ram Baran Yadav at their offices. But he met other political party leaders one-by-one at the Dwarika Hotel. Among them was UCPN (M) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal who returned on Tuesday from Singapore, cutting short a visit for the medical treatment of his wife, Sita.

"Our relations with Nepal are very important and the relations will continue to be, a matter of the highest priority for India," Khurshid said on arrival at the airport on Tuesday morning. "India is strongly committed to working with the people of Nepal for a democratic, stable, peaceful and prosperous Nepal."

Khurshid and his delegation was supposed to spend two days in Kathmandu, but cut short his visit because of pressing engagements back home. In his talks with party leaders, Khurshid is said to have urged them to show more of a sense of urgency to complete elections in November.

The elections as well as the appointment of the sitting Chief Justice to head an election government is widely believed to have been an Indian project, and there is dismay in Delhi about the faltering resolve among Nepal’s political parties about elections. Political parties can’t agree among themselves on the rules for elections, and infighting within all the main parties and the splintered Madhesi groups has intensified as the dates of elections near. It is thought that the UCPN(M) is not keen on elections as long as it is not assured of a two-thirds majority, and it can’t get that until the party reunites and forges an electoral alliance with the Madhesi parties. But before that the party has to resolve an internal power struggle between Dahal and Baburam Bhattarai at its extended Central Committee meeting next week.

Meanwhile, the leaders of the CPN-M Mohan Baidya and CP Gajurel left for a visit to China on Monday night, so Khurshid could not meet the leaders of the party that is not just boycotting the polls but also threatening to sabotage it. Khurshid told a press conference before flying back: "We are hoping for a free and fair election in November that will help strengthen democracy and ensure stability and prosperity in Nepal.”

He also pledged support in the form of election paraphernalia for the November polls, including 716 vehicles for police and the Election Commission and other logistics. However, India had earlier said it cannot supply electronic voting machines by November because there just too many political parties.