Indian Prez, PM condole Koirala's death

New Delhi, Mar 20 (PTI) President of India Pratibha Patil
and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday condoled the
death of Nepalese Prime Minister G P Koirala and paid rich
tributes to "one of the tallest leaders" of South Asia.
External Affairs Minister S M Krishna will represent
India at the funeral of Koirala on Sunday.
Patil, Singh and Krishna conveyed their condolences to
Sujata Koirala, Nepalese Deputy Prime Minister and daughter of
the late leader, the External Affairs Ministry said.
In his condolence message, Singh described Koirala as one
of Nepal's "tallest leaders and an elder statesman of South
Asia" who had worked sincerely to bring the people of the two
countries closer.
The passing away of Koirala marks the end of an era in
Nepalese politics, he added.
"I have personally had a long association with Shri
Koirala and have benefitted immensely from his wise counsel
and advice not only on issues affecting our bilateral ties but
also on matters affecting South Asia as a whole," he said.
Singh said Koirala was first and foremost a democrat and
his long struggle to usher in democracy in Nepal reached a
successful conclusion when he became the first democratically
elected Prime Minister of Nepal in 1991.
He subsequently guided the destiny of the Nepalese
people for further three years as Prime Minister, Singh said,
adding Koirala was a mass leader and a statesman, whose
knowledge and wisdom guided the polity of Nepal in the "right
direction at critical junctures in the country's history".
Communist Party of India (Marxist) also condoled the
death, with its polit bureau leader Sitaram Yechury saying
Koirala's role would be "sorely missed" at a time when the
country was in the process of becoming a republic.
"It is a great loss to democracy in South Asia. At this
particular time when Nepal is going through a historic
transformation towards the formation of a Republic, his role
will be sorely missed," Yechury said in a message. PTI MS
KAB