Hetauda/Dhangadi, Feb 10

CPN-UML’s Sanu Kumar Shrestha and Arjun Bahadur Thapa have been elected unopposed as speakers in Province 3 and 7 respectively.

In Province 3, a provincial assembly meeting today elected Shrestha to the post of the speaker.

He had filed his candidacy at the PA secretariat at 12:30pm, with CPN-MC parliamentary leader Shalikram Jamarkattel as the proposer and UML Provincial Assembly member Rameshwor Fuyal, the seconder.

Senior-most Provincial Assembly member Dormani Poudel had declared Kathmandu, Constituency-2, kha PA member the unopposed winner after the PA had passed the proposal.

Speaking after his election, Shrestha stressed the need for stable governments both at the central and the province level.

“Besides helping to form stable governments, I will do the needful in order to implement the constitution,” said Shrestha, who has been in communist politics for the past 40 years now.

Shrestha, who holds master’s degree in Political Science, is UML alternative politburo member and party Kathmandu district in-charge.

As for the election of the deputy speaker, voting date has been finalised for tomorrow, with CPN-MC’s Radhika Tamang poised to file her candidacy representing the leftist alliance. Though the Nepali Congress is also said to contest for the post, the party has yet to finalise its candidate.

Elsewhere, in Province 7, Arjun Bahadur Thapa, the lone candidate for the speaker’s post was declared winner. Thapa, who had won as Provincial Assembly  member from Bajhang Constituency-1 didn’t have any contender for the post.

UML Provincial Assembly member Dirgha Sodari had proposed his candidacy with CPN-MC leader and PP leader Trilochan Bhatta seconding the proposal.

Upon his election, Thapa pledged to move ahead by taking all parties into confidence. Having started his politics from teacher’s union, the 62-year-old had lost in the general election of 1999.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Tribhuvan University.