Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala left for New Delhi Sunday evening to attend the 14th SAARC summit, which is slated for April 3-4.

Accompanied by Foreign Minister Sahana Pradhan and Finance Minister Dr Ram Saran Mahat, Koirala left for the Indian capital by an NAC flight at around 4:30 pm. Koirala declined to comment on his visit, but promised to talk in detail after his return to the country.

Speaker Subash Nemwang, most of the newly appointed ministers including Maoist ministers Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Dev Gurung and Hisila Yami and senior government officials were present at the TIA to see him off.

Koirala’s daughter Sujata, his foreign affairs advisor Dr Suresh Chalise and personal physician Dr Madhu Ghimire are also accompanying him in New Delhi. His 30-member entourage also includes senior Foreign Ministry officials, journalists and businesspersons.

The PM will meet with his Indian counterpart Dr Manmohan Singh on Monday and with Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam the next day. He is also scheduled to hold separate meetings with the top delegates from the SAARC states.