The ruling CPN plans to dismiss Krishna Bahadur Mahara, who resigned as speaker following rape allegations, as lawmaker if he refuses to resign from the post.
The ruling CPN earlier on Tuesday asked him to resign from the position of both lawmaker and speaker following rape allegations. But he has not specified whether he has also resigned from the position of lawmaker.
"I have resigned on moral grounds effective from today till the investigation process is completed to facilitate fact-based, fair and independent investigation following allegations of different media outlets since yesterday raising serious questions about my character," the resignation letter sent addressing Deputy Speaker Shiva Maya Tumbahamphe in capacity of speaker Tuesday afternoon reads.
Mahara does not seem to be in mood to resign as lawmaker but the party wants him to resign even from the position. "The party has told him to resign from speaker and lawmaker to facilitate investigation," a CPN secretariat member told Setopati. "He has been asked to resign even from the position of lawmaker as remaining one will also affect investigation.
CPN plans to dismiss him as per the provision about quitting party in the act related to political parties. A party's central committee can dismiss any member from the party, according to clause 32 of the act. Mahara will lose the post of lawmaker once he is dismissed from the party in this fashion.
Mahara has been accused of raping a woman working at the federal parliament secretariat on Sunday.
The woman has claimed an inebriated Mahara reached her rented apartment in Tinkune with a bottle of whiskey when there was no one else in the apartment Sunday night and raped her.
