Koirala to gift Pashupatinath's replica to Modi

Having already requested Modi to visit Nepal when he congratulated him on the election victory, Prime Minister Koirala, before leaving for New Delhi with some senior editors, said he would extend a formal invitation when the two leaders formally meet.

Koirala said Modi's invitations to regional leaders at his swearing-in ceremony suggest his concern for stability in the region.

According to Nepal's foreign ministry, Koirala will meet Modi Tuesday morning, and pay a courtesy call on President Pranab Mukherjee.

Koirala is also scheduled to meet Bharatiya Janata Party president Rajnath Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, and outgoing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, besides other distinguished political leaders.