NEW DELHI: India welcomed two amendments made to the Nepal constitution on Saturday, describing them as “positive developments” as the K.P. Oli government bowed to the Madhesi agitation and Indian diplomatic pressure to pave the way for a little more inclusive system in nepal. In a midnight statement, the Indian government said “We hope that other outstanding issues are similarly addressed in a constructive spirit.” This would pave the way for the new Nepal prime minister KP Oli to make his first visit to India in the coming weeks.Madhesis shouted slogans during the passage of the amendments on Saturday night, but did not oppose their passage. The amendments include commitments on participation in government institutions on the basis of proportionate inclusiveness and a new process delineation of electoral constituencies on the basis of population (with geography as a secondary consideration.). On December 21, MEA said Nepal foreign minister Kamal Thapa had outlined some decisions the Oli cabinet had taken -- “these decisions include amendments to the Constitution on participation in the state organs on the basis of proportionate inclusiveness and delineation of electoral constituencies on the basis of population. The demarcation of provinces is also to be addressed through an appropriate arrangement in the Constitution on the basis of political consensus. Similarly, others demands including citizenship are to be resolved through negotiations and consensus.” The last two demands by the Madhesis, particularly on demarcation of provinces (”seemankan”) are still to be done.The decision wasn’t fully welcomed by the agitating Madhesis however. “The amendment process is a step in the right direction. But it has not addressed the core issue of creating two provinces for Madhesi people on the 1200-km-long plains of Nepal bordering India,” said Rajendra Mahato of the United Madhesi Democratic Front. The Madhesis have vowed to continue their agitation, and only a few days ago, three Madhesis were killed in police firing in Morang. While India condemned the deaths, India’s present welcome of the Oli government move is unlikely to make the Madhesis very happy, many of whom feel let down by India.Oli’s impending visit, which will be soon, since prime minister Narendra Modi has already invited him, might make the Madhesis more distrustful.On the proportionate inclusiveness front, Nepal has essentially reverted to the provisions of the interim constitution. In the September document, the offer of “inclusive” representation was predicated on “geography and population”, which was changed around in October to “population and geography” Today, its population, with geography as a secondary consideration, believed to be a movement forward. The amendment also removed a cluster -- youth, from the list of “needy” people, which may make more space for the Madhesis and other minority groups like Tharus and Janjatis. The problem here is not merely the constitutional provision, its a deeper social division between the hill people and the plains people, a discrimination that will take many more years to go.As a result of the new delimitation of constituencies, the Terai is now looking at 79 seats as opposed to the previous 65 seats, which will be in addition to the 110 seats they get as a result of the proportional representation route.This does not mean that the blockade at Birgunj-Raxaul will end anytime soon. First, the Madhesis want to keep the heat on Kathmandu to implement the other decisions. Second, the growth of a thriving black economy in border areas like Birgunj is a disincentive to removing the blockade, which is a single picket on the connecting bridge. However, transport officials said the 1500 trucks a day that used to go through Birgunj-Raxaul pre-blockade are now going through other points -- Biratnagar, Jogbani,. Sunauli, Panitanki etc. So Kathmandu has little to beat up on India.The Indian insistence that the Nepal constitution and government be more inclusive was reiterated by the US in as many words. A readout of a conversation between US deputy secretary Tony Blinken and Nepal PM on the political crisis in the Himalayan country said Blinken “urged Prime Minister Oli to represent the interests of all Nepalis and take concrete steps to resolve the political impasse, emphasizing the importance of all sides working toward a compromise and not taking unilateral steps. Deputy Secretary Blinken called for Nepali authorities to exercise restraint in responding to protests.”But more important, the long political winter in Kathmandu has shown Nepal the limits of calling of the China card against India, which will have an impact on the bilateral relationship going forward. Oli had threatened to make China his first foreign destination hoping to stymie India. But things may finally settle into a familiar uneasy mean between Kathmandu and New Delhi.