Chairman Dahal to PM Deuba: Is NC preparing to oust Speaker Sapkota?

KATHMANDU, Feb 12: Amid reports that ruling Nepali Congress (NC) with the tacit support of the main opposition party, CPN-UML, is preparing to oust Speaker Agni Sapkota if he obstructed tabling the MCC Compact Agreement in parliament for discussion, Chairman of CPN (Maoist Center) Pushpa Kamal Dahal has asked Prime Minister Deuba if they were preparing to oust Speaker Sapkota.

Multiple sources confirmed that Chairman Dahal inquired with Prime Minister Deuba if such a plan was being made during a meeting held between Prime Minister Deuba, CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal and Dahal at the Prime Minister's Official Residence in Baluwatar on Saturday. Sources said Chairman Nepal had also joined Dahal to get Deuba's response.

On the occasion, Chairman Dahal had said that he had heard a rumor that signatures are being collected to register an impeachment motion against the Speaker in the parliament. In response, Prime Minister Deuba had assured that any such move was not even thought of by his party.

"We cannot even think of this [ousting Speaker]. Our party has not collected any signatures. Our party will not do so in the future either. Let's not talk about it now," a senior Maoist Center leader close to Dahal quoted Deuba as assuring during the meeting.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Deuba had tried to convince both Dahal and Nepal to take the MCC Compact Agreement to parliament for discussion. However, both the leaders said they are not yet ready to take the Agreement to parliament.

On the occasion, Dahal had proposed to defer the parliament meeting for February 16 arguing that the UML has also demanded deferring the meeting for a day. Speaker Sapkota had earlier put off the house meeting on February 12.