Karan Singh is PM's special envoy to Nepal

NEW DELHI: Amid mounting pressure on King Gyanendra to restore democracy, India on Tuesday decided to send Karan Singh, President of Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR), to Nepal as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Special Envoy to convey New Delhi's message to the monarch.

Singh, MP and former Union Minister, will visit Kathmandu on Wednesday and is expected to meet King Gyanendra, External Affairs Ministry said here on Tuesday.
He is also expected to meet leaders of political parties of Nepal.

The decision comes two days after Indian Ambassador to Nepal Shiv Shanker Mukherjee met the King and conveyed India's message underlining the immediate need for dialogue with political parties and restoration of multi-party democracy.

Nepal has been witnessing increasing pro-democracy movement over the last fortnight.
India and rest of the international community has also been building pressure on the monarch to relinquish power that he seized by removing an elected government 14 months ago.

Expressing ‘concern’ over the situation in Nepal, Mukherjee asked Gyanendra on Sunday to initiate dialogue with political parties aimed at reconciliation and evolving national consensus.

The Prime Minister also held a high-level meeting here on Sunday night to review the latest developments in the neighbouring country.