Tumbahamphe to chair first meeting of HoR winter session

KATHMANDU, Dec 19: Deputy Speaker Shiva Maya Tumbahamphe, in the absence of Speaker, is set to chair the first meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR) of the winter session on Friday.

The position of Speaker has laid vacant since the resignation of Krishna Bahadur Mahara following the rape allegation in October.

The ruling Nepal Communist Party is pondering on asking Tumbahamphe to resign so that they could file candidacy and secure the position of Speaker since the Constitution of Nepal does not allow the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the HoR to be representatives from the same party.

Since the ousting of Mahara, President Bidya Devi Bhandari’s favorite Tumbahamphe has claimed a stake in the position and has refused to step down.

She had also turned down Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli’s offer of a position as a minister in exchange while reorganizing his council of ministers earlier in November.

If she does not resign, the ruling party will have to give away the position of Speaker to other parties.

But, according to NCP sources, they have convinced Tumbahamphe to step down and pave way for the party for Speaker’s claim. She will announce the date for Speaker’s election and submit her resignation, the source added.

Her resignation will also ease the pressure on the ruling party amid their struggle to finalize a name. Former Speaker Subash Chandra Nembang and Agni Sapkota are the prime candidates for the position. But, since Mahara was the leader of the former CPN (Maoist Center), the faction is laying the claim for the position.

Other probable names for the position include NCP chief whip Dev Gurung, Pampha Bhusal have also laid claim.