BIRATNAGAR: Tensions are rising in the Koshi province assembly as lawmakers from the coalition are urging for the swift election of a new Speaker.
During the zero-hour session of the province assembly meeting on Monday, parliamentarians came together to demand an immediate resolution to the vacancy in the position of Speaker.
Nepali Congress (NC) MPs, including Gopal Tamang, Maiya Shrestha, Indira Thapa, Shobha Chemjong, and Gopal Bishwakarma from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), voiced their concerns about the prolonged vacancy and its adverse impact on the Provincial Assembly’s efficiency.
The vacuum in the position arose when then-Speaker Baburam Gautam stepped down to allow NC leader Uddhav Thapa to assume the role of Chief Minister, followed by a ministerial position. Thapa’s tenure was short-lived, and he was removed from office on August 21 after it was determined that his vote of confidence from the Provincial Assembly was in violation of the constitution.
For the past several months, the Koshi province assembly has operated without a Speaker, with Deputy Speaker Srijana Danuwar overseeing its proceedings.
Previously, an agreement was reached within the federal parliament to assign one committee chair to the ruling coalition and the position of Speaker in Koshi to the RPP. In return, the RPP would offer its support to the coalition in Koshi. Despite this agreement, the selection of the Speaker and committee chairpersons in the Koshi province assembly has been stalled.
While lawmakers from the ruling coalition and RPP are actively seeking a solution, the UML remains conspicuously silent on the matter, raising concerns that they may not participate in the Speaker’s selection process.
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