Kathmandu lodges 'formal objection' against Biplab Deb's remarks on 'expanding to Nepal'

Nepal Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali on Tuesday said that his country has conveyed a "formal objection" against Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb's remarks that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has planned to expand in neighbouring countries like Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Replying to a Twitter user who shared a news report on Deb's remarks, Gyawali said: "Noted. Formal objection has been already conveyed".

Earlier in the day, Kathmandu Post reported that Nepal has taken exception to a recent statement by Deb in which he quoted Home Minister Amit Shah as saying that BJP will expand the party in Nepal.

A Nepali diplomat in the country's embassy in New Delhi told the Post over the phone that Ambassador Nilamber Acharya telephoned Arindam Bagchi, joint secretary in-charge of Nepal and Bhutan at India's Ministry of External Affairs, and expressed his reservations about Tripura chief minster's statement.

Deb while addressing the party workers in Agartala recalled a meeting with the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was then BJP national president, during his visit to the state and said, "When the home minister was our party chief, while discussion we said that BJP had come to power in several states."

"In response, the minister (then BJP chief) said that Nepal and Sri Lanka are still left. He said that we have to expand the party to Sri Lanka and Nepal. We have to win there too," Deb added.

( With inputs from ANI )