Friday, April 21 2006 16:41 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Special envoy Karan Singh today(Apr 21, 2006) briefed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about the discussions he had with King Gyanendra on developments in Nepal and the urgent need to restore multi-party democracy.

Emerging from about an hour-long meeting with the Prime Minister, Karan Singh expressed the hope that the King, whom he had met yesterday, would take some major step towards reinstating democracy and perhaps by the end of the day could make some major announcement.

"It is our hope and expectation that perhaps by the end of the day some major announcement will be made (by the King). We are hoping that there will be some major step towardsreinstating democracy. I think, we have done our bit," hr said.

To a question, the senior Congress leader and MP, said be positive and be hopeful.

Karan Singh, who handed over to the King a letter from the Prime Minister, is believed to have conveyed a blunt message from New Delhi that the monarch must restore multi-party democracy immediately as the situation was slipping out of his hands. During his two-day stay in Kathmandu, he also held talks with various political leaders.

The Prime Minister's Special Envoy emphasised the need for initiating genuine dialogue with political parties and said that India stood ready to help Nepal emerge out of the current crisis.

Asked about the monarch's roadmap for restoration of democracy in Nepal, Karan Singh said today "I am not going into details. We must give time to the King to clearly think over it and not to dictate. Nepal is an independent country."

Asked about the Prime Minsiter's response to his briefing, he said "Prime Minister listened".

Karan Singh's meeting with the Prime Minister was also attended by National Security Adviser M K Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran, who also was in Nepal with him.

Karan Singh said he also briefed Congress President Sonia Gandhi about his visit to Nepal.

He dismissed a suggestion that he looked frustrated after his two-day visit to Nepal.

"I never get frustrated,"he said.

Asked whether he cut short his visit to Nepal, he replied in the negative.

New Delhi decided on Tuesday to send Karan Singh as the Special Envoy to make efforts to convince the King to revitalise democracy and give up absolute power.

Gyanendra seized power by ousting an elected government on February one last year, triggering international criticism.

India along with the international community has been mounting pressure on the King to restore democracy and in this direction has even suspended military supplies to Nepal.