Kathmandu, October 15

Unified CPN-Maoist standing committee meeting today decided to field outgoing Deputy Speaker Onsari Gharti Magar as their candidate for the post of Speaker, election for which is scheduled to be held on Friday.

According to party Secretary Barshaman Pun, today’s meeting of the party’s standing committee took the decision to this effect.

The ruling coalition has decided to allocate Speaker’s post to UCPN-M and that of Deputy Speaker to Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal.

RPP-N Chief Whip Dilnath Giri said his party had not yet decided its candidate for Deputy Speaker’s post. Giri said his party would provide the name before the deadline to file nominations ended at 11:00am on Friday.

Meanwhile, top leaders of the Nepali Congress today consulted Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal Chair Upendra Yadav and Tarai Madhes Democratic Party Chair Mahantha Thakur on how to go about contesting elections for the posts of Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

According to NC Spokesperson Dilendra Prasad Badu, who was present in the meeting, the names of the candidates and modalities of collaboration with other parties, including the Madhesi parties, would be determined tomorrow in a meeting of the office bearers.

Badu said there were chances that NC might field its candidate for Speaker and the Madhesi forces might field their candidate for Deputy Speaker but a final decision in this regard would be taken tomorrow morning.

He said the NC would also hold dialogue with other political parties on the issue.

Manish Kumar Suman, General Secretary of Sadbhawana Party, a constituent of the United Democratic Madhesi Front, however, said the UDMF constituents would not take part in tomorrow’s election as they faced people’s wrath in Madhes for taking part in the election held for prime minister on Sunday.

“We have learnt a lesson. Madhesis are very angry with the front for taking part in the election held for new premiership and, therefore, we will not repeat the mistake,” Suman added. Yadav and Thakur could not be contacted for their take on the issue.