Nepal PM calls Modi, seeks help for conducting local bodies' poll

India will assist Nepal in conducting its first local bodies poll in 20 years. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said all possible assistance will be extended to its Himalayanneighbourafter his Nepalese counterpart, Pushpa KamalDahal'Prachanda', called him on Tuesday.

Prachandarequested for India's assistance while speaking about Nepal holding the local elections, following which Modi gave the assurance of help, a statement from the Indian Prime Minister's Office said.

The two Prime Ministers reiterated their commitment to advance cooperative ties between India and Nepal on multiple levels for the benefit of the two countries, the statement said.

Modi andPrachandadiscussed recent developments in India-Nepal relations, including the recent "highly successful" state visit of Nepal PresidentBidyaDevi Bhandari to India, it said.

The Nepal Prime Minister spoke about the ongoing efforts of his government to take all stakeholders on board in implementing the constitution, the statement said.

Modi "conveyed the good wishes of the people and the Government of India to the friendly people of Nepal in their national efforts to achieve peace, stability and socio- economic transformation, and assured PMPrachandathat India will extend all possible assistance for local elections."

However, China has already offered help toorganisethe Nepal local polls more than a week ago. China hadalso announced nine million Yuan as monetary support for Nepal duringPrachanda'srecent visit. Apart from monetary help, China has already supplied the landlocked nation election materiallikepens, stamp pads, rubber stamps, calculators, scales, punching machines and table watches, during a function in Kathmandu,anIndianmediaoutletreported.

The Election Commission of Nepalwas quoted as saying that 30,000 ballot boxeswere expected to arrive from China ahead of the local poll.

(WION with input from agencies)