The obstructions for Speaker elect Agni Sapkota

KATHMANDU: Main opposition Nepali Congress Party (NC) didn’t field any candidate for the post of the Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR). The Rashtriya Janata Party Nepal ( National People’s Party Nepal) RJPN supporting the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) candidate Agni Sapkota, the latter is set to be elected as the Speaker of the HoR unopposed.

Former Speaker of the House and senior leader of the NCP Subhas Nembang, Former Speaker of the Constituent Assembly (CA-II) Onsari Gharti Magar, Leader of the Parliamentary Committee and Chief Whip of NCP Dev Gurung, and leader of the RJPN Laxman Lal Karna supported Sapkota’s candidacy.

Agni Sapkota was elected from Sindhupalchowk – 1 to the House of Representatives, he is a close aide of former Prime Minister and Chair of the NCP Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Agni Sapkota is accused of the murder of Arjun Lama of Kavre and a case is pending against him at the Supreme Court. The constitutional bench has called for a hearing to the case on 5th February. Several quarters have strongly protested and voiced serious concerns regarding his candidacy. Late Arjun Lama’s wife Purni Maya had filed a case against Sapkota on the 20th of June, 2011.

Late Arjun Lama who was 48 then was abducted by three Maoist cadres from Shri Krishna Madhyamik (Intermediate) School) on the 29th of April, 2005. According to the statement by Purni Maya, in the instructions of Sapkota, her husband was then taken to the District Budakhani Village Development Council (VDC) Maoist army camp and murdered.

Senior Advocate Dr. Dinesh Tripathi has filed a writ against the Speaker-elect Agni Sapkota at the Supreme Court. In the writ advocate, Tripathi has requested an immediate investigation into the case. The advocate has also requested to stop the ongoing process of electing a new Speaker.

Agni Sapkota has a political career spanning over 4 decades. He transitioned from a revolutionary to mainstream politics and was a key figure in the negotiations that brought an end to the decade long civil war.

Sapkota during his insurgency days was shot three times in an incident that involved the Nepal Army ariel unit in Thokparma Sindhupalchowk.

Sapkota first won in the Constituent Assembly Election – CA -1, from Sindhupalchowk Constituency-2 with a margin of over 20 thousand votes, making him the 7th highest winner in the country by a margin.

He has served as the Minister of Information and Communication and as Minister of Forest and Soil Conservation.

Sapkota has won a record 3 times from his constituency of Sindhupalchowk being elected as Member of CA-2, and the HoR.