Koirala returns hale and hearty from New York

KATHMANDU:

Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, who returned from New York, today said the country will get a new constitution on time and witness a sea change on the development front in a decade as the country will be receiving huge investment from abroad.

“You will see a colossal economic transformation in span of eight to 10 years as there will be huge investment from abroad,” PM Koirala said at a press conference in the VVIP lounge of Tribhuvan International Airport upon arrival from New York.

Though he had just landed after 26 hours of flight, he looked cheerful and quite fit and fine.

On June 16, he had left for New York, where he underwent treatment for lung cancer at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre.

Koirala said he conquered the disease due to the prayers and good wishes of the entire Nepali community as well as foreigners, including his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, who had personally wished him speedy recovery.

Amidst reports that his Nepali Congress party colleagues were discussing the need to find a new leadership in the party as well as in government, given his “health condition”, Koirala signalled that he had not thought of quitting.

“Some might think how one can handle the business — after two cancer attacks,” he said, adding, “I would say — you will see my activism in the days to come.” While saying so, he looked quite confident as he is now completely fit and fine. The PM — who had avoided responding to media queries upon his arrivals during previous three foreign visits — today took about 25 minutes to brief about his health condition and to respond to queries raised by journalists.

“You all prayed for me, the illness ran away. Now, I am completely fit and fine.”

He thanked all those who were involved in his treatment, and had prayed and wished his good health. However, the doctors involved in his treatment have advised him to take enough rest and to avoid too much physical activities, according to Dr Karbir Nath Yogi, Koirala’s personal physician, who accompanied him to New York.

According to him, more than 80 per cent of the black spot

detected on Koirala’s upper left lung has cleared after the five radiation therapy sessions. “The Prime Minister has been advised to visit the Centre after two-and-a-half to three months,” Dr Yogi told THT.

Koirala said all foreign powers, including India, China, USA and European countries were concerned about Nepal and wanted to see the country get a new constitution before long.

“Be confident, the constitution will come,” he said, adding that the government would bring on board all the stakeholders in this process. He said all pending tasks, including the appointment of 26 Constituent Assembly members, ambassadors, and members of constitutional bodies, would now move ahead on a “war footing”. “There were some hitches in the past due to technical things, especially the General Convention of CPN-UML,” he said. “Now, it is over and everything will start to pick up pace.”

He said he would further expedite preparations for hosting the 18th SAARC Summit in Kathmandu in November.

Source: THT