KATHMANDU, JANUARY 17
The all-party meeting called by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ahead of the speaker's elections failed to forge consensus among parties on which party should get which constitutional posts - president, vice-president, speaker, and deputy speaker.
Nagarik Unmukti Party Chair Ranjita Shrestha told THT that UML leaders told the meeting that the seven-party alliance had already decided to give the post of president and speaker to CPN-UML, deputy speaker to Rastriya Swatantra Party and vice-president to CPN-MC and the alliance should stick to that agreement. Senior Nepali Congress leader Ramchandra Paudel said that the PM told the meeting that he got overwhelming majority during vote of confidence as all the ruling alliance and opposition parties voted in his favour and this new situation required consensus politics.
The PM further said that in order to complete the remaining task of the peace process, and resolve the crisis facing the country, there was need to forge consensus among the political parties to elect the president, vice-president, speaker and deputy speaker as these posts required neutral roles.
Nepali Congress Chief Whip Ramesh Lekhak told mediapersons after the meeting that all parties put forth their views at the meeting. "The PM thanked all the parties that gave vote of confidence and sought to explore the possibility of consensus for the four posts - president, vice-president, speaker and deputy speaker," Lekhak said and added that although NC was the principal opposition in the House of Representatives, it was ready to negotiate on the issue as these posts required the post holder to play neutral role reflecting the sentiments of national unity.
Asked if the NC would field its candidate for speaker tomorrow, Lekhak said party leaders would take a call after holding discussions within the party. NC is eyeing the president's post.
CPN-MC leader and newly-appointed Minister of Communications and Information technology Rekha Sharma said that the PM called the meeting mainly to thank those parties that gave him vote of confidence and also explored possibilities of consensus to elect the key posts.
According to Sharma the PM told the all party meeting there was need for consensus among political parties as issues of nationality and the border could be resolved through consensus among the parties. The PM said that consensus was needed for constitutional posts as well.
In response to a journalist's query, Sharma said consensus could be forged even after filing the candidacy for speaker tomorrow.
The president and vice-president are elected through an electoral college consisting of members of the Parliament and province assemblies. The presidential election will take place in March.
A version of this article appears in the print on January 18, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
