Modi may sign Teesta

Bangladesh may be the first foreign destination for India's next Prime Minister Narendra Modi, diplomatic sources here say.

Modi has already asked external affairs ministry officials to work out a suitable date for his Bangladesh visit and check on the pros and cons of the Teesta water sharing agreement which his predecessor Manmohan Singh wanted to sign but could not because of furious opposition from West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

"Modi has been in touch with the foreign ministry over inviting South Asian heads of government to his swearing-in ceremony. He also asked them to find out about how the Teesta water agreement can be taken forward in the shortest possible time," said a senior BJP leader.

He said Hasina had raised the Teesta issue during her long telephonic conversation with Modi, when she asked him to make Bangladesh his foreign destination to visit.

"Modi was touched by Hasina's gesture when she suggested he should consider Bangladesh his second home," the BJP leader said.

The Teesta water-sharing agreement occupied a substantial part of their conversation, he said.

Modi assured Hasina that he would take “concrete and meaningful steps” for a robust bilateral relationship.

He is aware of the 'very effective steps' Hasina's government has taken in fighting terror and pushing out anti-Indian rebels, the BJP leader said.

Bangladesh's High Commissioner Tariq Karim had visited Modi as Gujarat chief minister last year to seek his support for the passage of the land boundary agreement bill in Indian parliament which the BJP had initially opposed.

He was the first diplomat of a predominantly Muslim country to meet Modi -- something the former Gujarat CM is unlikely to forget.

That was after former foreign minister Dipu Moni met BJP Rajya Sabha leader Arun Jaitley (close to Modi) to convince his party on how both the land boundary and Teesta issues were important for bilateral relations.

Modi said recently that 'not all decisions of Manmohan government were wrong' but deplored the weakness in following up.

Singh's effort to improve ties with Bangladesh is possibly one of those he was alluding to.

External affairs ministry sources say the BRICS summit in July was supposed to be the first foreign trip on the next PM's calendar "but that could change if he insists on visiting any country he considers important."

"Now that we know he may want to visit Bangladesh soon enough and push the Teesta treaty, we have started working on it," said a top source in MEA.

BJP sources indicate that Modi could bring Mamata Banerjee on board by offering her a fiscal package to revive cash-strapped West Bengal economy.

They say Banerjee has been invited to Modi’s swearing-in ceremony and BJP leaders are in touch with Banerjee's top lieutenant Mukul Roy.

Modi might also convince Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling to share Teesta waters with West Bengal so that the state has enough waters for its use.

The prime minister-elect enjoys good relations with Chamling since his days as Gujarat chief minister.

The Teesta water sharing treaty could well be Modi’s first step towards business-like and cordial relations with India’s neighbours and might bolster his image as a strong and decisive leader.

The fact that Modi is keen not to sacrifice India's national interests because of 'regional interference' became clear when the foreign office on his request invited Sri Lankan President Mahindra Rajpakse , despite stiff opposition from Tamil parties aligned to the BJP-led NDA.