Patna, April 27 : Two senior Nepalese Maoist leaders have sought the release of dozens of their comrades lodged in Bihar's jails and met Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in this regard.
It is for the first time that such a move has been made formally by the Nepalese Maoists.
Senior Nepalese Maoist leader Hisila Yami and C.P. Gajurel, currently here to attend a two-day seminar that began Saturday, had initiated talks with Nitish Kumar on this issue.
Yami is leading a 45-member delegation from Nepal for the seminar on "Emerging Trends in India-Nepal Relations".
"We sought an early release of dozens of Nepalese Maoists lodged in Bihar's jails during our meeting with Nitish Kumar," Yami, minister for physical planning and works in the outgoing interim government, told IANS here Sunday.
Yami is the first senior Maoist leader from Nepal to visit India after the former guerrillas emerged victorious in the April 10 constituent assembly polls.
She said Nitish Kumar assured them he would consider their request for release of Nepalese Maoists lodged in state jails. "Our discussion was positive and cordial on this issue," said Yami, a politburo member of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) and wife of senior Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai.
Gajurel, also a senior CPN (Maoist) politburo member, said the Nepalese Maoists lodged in Bihar's jails are activists of the party. "We have requested Nitish Kumar to arrange their early release. He responded well," he said.
Bihar shares nearly 700 km of a porous international border with Nepal.
Official sources in the chief minister's office said Yami and Gajurel spent about one-and-a-half hours with Nitish Kumar.
According to official sources in the state prison department, at least three dozen Nepalese Maoists are lodged in different jails in Bihar.
(IANS)