Indian external affairs minister, political leaders pay homage to Nepal's late Ex-PM

Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and leaders of Indian political parties paid homage to Nepal's former Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, who passed away Tuesday morning.

The Indian delegation paid tribute to the late former prime minister at a ceremony at the Dasarath Stadium in Kathmandu, on Tuesday evening, where the dead body of Koirala has been kept before holding the final rites on Wednesday.

While signing a condolence message, Indian External Affairs Minister Swaraj termed Koirala as man of high thinking and simple living, according to Koirala's Foreign Affairs Advisor Dr Dinesh Bhattarai.

Indian National Congress leader Anand Sharma, India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, CPI-M Secretary General Sitaram Yechury and Janata Dal United Chairman Sharad Yadav also paid homage to Koirala.

Meanwhile, the Indian minister also called on Nepal's President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli Tuesday evening before returning to New Delhi.

"The Indian minister expressed condolences over the demise of late former Prime Minister Koirala," Prime Minister Oli's Foreign Affairs Expert Gopal Khanal told Xinhua.

The two sides also discussed about Prime Minister Oli's forthcoming visit to India which is scheduled to begin on Feb. 19, according to Khanal.

The 78-year-old veteran democratic leader of Nepal passed away in the wee hours of Tuesday at a relative's residence in Kathmandu after suffering from the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Koirala, president of Nepali Congress, served as the 37th prime minister of the Himalayan country from Feb. 2014 to Oct. 2015. Endit