KATHMANDU, Jan 21: The main opposition Nepali Congress has decided not to field a contender in the election of (new) Speaker. A meeting of the party held today under the chair of party central President and parliamentary party leader Sher Bahadur Deuba ended with this decision.

NC whip Pushpa Bhusal said the major ruling party had enough votes to win the election that's why the party is not competing in the upcoming Speaker's election. "The Speaker post needs to be neutral, so the NC being the main opposition will not be in its race," Bhusal said.

It may be noted that the Speaker post has been lying vacant since the then Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara had stepped down after he was alleged of sexual harassment against a woman staff at the Federal Parliament.

The election has been scheduled for January 26 and today is fixed for filing the candidacy. The ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) has proposed Agni Prasad Sapkota as its candidate for the Speaker's election.

 
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