Deuba tells NCP to find speaker candidate or leave the post to NC

KATHMANDU, Jan 15: Main opposition party Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba has told the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) to find a candidate for Speaker or leave the position to them, as the ruling party struggles with indecision to pick a name.

“If the NCP cannot pick a candidate, then Nepali Congress is ready to field its candidate,” Deuba told reporters in Biratnagar on Wednesday.

“The ruling party should stop holding the house hostage because they cannot decide a name,” he added. 

The NCP, who commands the majority in the parliament, has failed to finalize a candidate for the post due to which the meeting of the House of Representatives has been put off repeatedly in the past month.

And, President Bidya Devi Bhandari-favored Deputy Speaker Shiva Maya Tumbahamphe, as suggested by reports, has not made it easy for the ruling party frequently denying to step down and pave way for them to elect their speaker of choice despite formal request. Instead she has been demanding the position to herself.

Moreover, the row over the Speaker has given space to speculations that Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli and leaders close to him are planning not to let the position of lower house leadership to former Maoist faction.