CPN Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has told fellow chairman KP Sharma Oli that the post of speaker cannot be given to erstwhile CPN-UML.
Dahal has pointed to Oli that there is still two-party psychology inside CPN even after unification, and added that intra-party power balance should be considered.
Prime Minister (PM) Oli proposed to make former Constituent Assembly chairman Subas Chandra Nembang the speaker and urged Dahal to not look beyond Nembang. But Dahal countered that intra-party power balance was considered even during the latest Cabinet reshuffle and staked claim for erstwhile Maoists.
"Chairman Dahal has made it clear to PM Oli that psychology within the party should be considered," a standing committee member told Setopati.
Dahal stressed that the balance of power maintained through sharing of posts including that of PM, president, vice-president, speaker, and National Assembly chairman before party unification should be continued, according to the standing committee member. "It is difficult to leave the post of speaker to former UML."
The House of Representatives (HoR) meeting has already been postponed twice with the ruling CPN failing to agree on its candidate for speaker.
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.
