CPN Chairmen KP Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal had a two-hour meeting on Tuesday but failed to agree on the party's candidate for speaker.
A source close to Dahal confirmed with Setopati that the two chairmen discussed selection of speaker during the meeting at the prime minister's residence in Baluwatar that started at around 10 in the morning.
"The two chairmen have started discussion on selection of speaker," the source stated. "Chairman Dahal said the discussion was good even though today's meeting failed to reach any conclusion."
Both the former CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center) factions are claiming for the post of speaker. Oli wishes to make former Constituent Assembly chairman Subas Chandra Nembang the speaker while Dahal has been insisting that Agni Sapkota from the Maoist faction should get the post.
The Maoist faction points that it should again get the post it had received during the power sharing before party unification.
Deputy Speaker Shiva Maya Tumbahamphe has also staked claim for the post.
The post of speaker is vacant after Krishna Bahadur Mahara resigned following rape allegation by a federal parliament secretariat staffer.
The ruling party will have to ask Deputy Speaker Shiva Maya Tumbahamphe, whose allegiance is now with CPN having won the last general election on a CPN-UML ticket, to resign to keep the post of speaker with the party as the Constitution prohibits appointment of speaker and deputy speaker from the same party.
