PM Modi congratulates Ashraf Ghani on re-election

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called up Afghanistan's President, M Ashraf Ghani, and congratulated him after preliminary results of the recently held presidential polls in the war-ravaged country indicated his re-election for a second term in the top office in Kabul.

Modi called Ghani a day after New Delhi welcomed the preliminary results of the presidential elections in Afghanistan. Ghani won 50.64% of the 1.9 million votes counted, while his nearest rival and former Chief Executive of the Afghan Government, Abdullah Abdullah, secured 39.52% of the votes, according to the preliminary results released on Sunday.

India on Monday welcomed the announcement of the preliminary results of the presidential elections in Afghanistan held on September 28 and commended all the leaders and institutions for working hard to preserve and strengthen democracy in the country.

New Delhi, however, on Monday refrained from publicly congratulating Ghani and his running mate and vice-presidential candidate Amrulla Saleh, ostensibly because the final result had not yet been published in view of several complaints lodged by Abdullah.

Modi, however, called up Ghani on Tuesday and congratulated him on “the announcement of preliminary official results” of the presidential elections.

Prime Minister also complimented the people of Afghanistan on “successful conduct of the elections and the subsequent process in face of daunting challenges”, and thus reflecting the growing strength of roots of democracy in the conflict-torn country.

He reiterating India's abiding commitment, as a close friend and neighbour, to a unified, sovereign, democratic, prosperous and peaceful Afghanistan. Prime Minister underlined India’s principled support to an inclusive peace process in Afghanistan which is Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled.

He mentioned that as a strategic partner of Afghanistan, India would continue to closely cooperate with Afghanistan for ensuring development, enhancing security and fighting terrorism in the region.

“My dear friend and the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, called this afternoon to congratulate me on winning the preliminary results and the Afghan people on the successful presidential elections,” Ghani posted on Twitter.

Ghani appreciated Prime Minister on behalf of people of Afghanistan, not only for being a good neighbor and friend, but also for strategic partnership.

Prime Minister invited Afghan President to visit India at an early mutually convenient opportunity.