KATHMANDU: Deputy Speaker Shiva Maya Tumbahamphe today held a discussion with Chairmen of the ruling Nepali Communist Party (NCP) Pushpa Kamal Dahal and K P Oli.

The meeting has been held at a time when the ruling party senior leaders are undecided on the Speaker of the HoR, which is lying vacant after the then Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara resigned from his post following an allegation of rape by a federal parliament secretariat staffer.

The HoR has been stalled due to the differences between Dahal and Oli as who should get the post of the Speaker.

While PM Oli is in favor of making former Constituent Assembly chairman Subash Chandra Nembang the Speaker, Dahal has been insisting that Agni Sapkota should get the post.

It has been learned that Deputy Speaker Tumbahamphe reiterated her stance that she would not resign until and unless the leadership finalized the name of a consensus candidate for the top post.

In the meeting held at the PM’s official residence in Baluwatar, the two leaders are learned to have suggested that she stepped down to pave way for electing the new Speaker.

The HoR session has been postponed twice in the absence of the Speaker. The leaders discussed with Tumbahamphe today as the next meeting of the HoR has been scheduled for Sunday.