BIRATNAGAR: The Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has put forward the name of Ambar Bahadur Bista, a member of its state assembly, for the Speaker’s position in the Koshi province.
The decision follows a proposal from the parties within the ruling coalition, urging RPP to assume the Speaker’s role.
RPP’s parliamentary party leader, Bhakti Prasad Sitaula, stated that the formal decision is in the final stages of preparation and is expected to be announced within the next day or two.
Unless there is a significant political upheaval, Bista is poised to assume the role of Koshi Speaker within the upcoming week.
The Koshi Province has been without a Speaker since August 1, when the then-Speaker Baburam Gautam resigned.
The ruling coalition is gearing up for a prompt election to fill the vacant Speaker’s position.
Sources indicate that while the leader of the ruling coalition initially proposed Bhakti Sitaula for the role, Sitaula, in a surprising move, nominated Bista, emphasizing his seniority within the party.
“One of our senior members, Ambar Bahadur Bista, has been put forth. We will proceed accordingly based on the decision whether he secures the position or not,” Sitaula stated.
Both the RPP and other ruling coalition parties aspire to appoint Bista as Speaker with unanimous support.
Indra Bahadur Angbo, leader of the Maoist Center Parliamentary Party, expressed intentions to engage with the UML for discussion.
Meanwhile, the UML is advocating for Deputy Speaker Srijana Danuwar to assume the Speaker’s role, but coalition parties remain steadfast in their preference for the RPP candidate.
Sitaula emphasized the coalition’s commitment to international practices, stating, “We are inclined towards making the Speaker unanimous, following the precedent where the opposition assumes the role.”
He clarified that there are no plans to approach the government.
To secure a majority in the 93-member state assembly, 47 votes are required.
The current ruling coalition boasts a total of 47 MPs, presenting a delicate balance of power.
The ruling coalition, lacking a majority during the Speaker’s election, proposed the Speaker’s position to the RPP.
With 29 MPs from the Nepali Congress, 13 from the Maoist Center, 4 from the Unified Socialist Party, and one from the Janata Samajwadi Party, the opposition CPN-UML holds 40 MPs, while the RPP has 6 MPs.
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