Sanu Kumar Shrestha elected Province 3 speaker unopposed
KATHMANDU, Feb 10: As the schedule for the election of speakers draws nearer, the left alliance and Madhes-based political parties have either finalized their candidates for speakers or are working to finalize them.
Meanwhile, the second provincial assembly meeting of Province 3 elected CPN-UML leader Sanu Shrestha as the speaker of the province on Saturday, while the remaining six provinces are set to elect their speakers by February 15. Province 1, 6 and 7 have set February 12, Province 2 and 5 have set February 14 and Province 4 has set February 15 as the date for the election of speaker.
As per the agreement reached by the left alliance of UML and CPN (Maoist Center) that has a majority in six of the seven provinces, UML's candidate will be the speaker in Province 1, 6 and 7 while Maoist candidates will be the speaker in Province 4 and 5. The two largest political forces of Province 2, Federal Socialist Forum Nepal (FSFN) and Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (FNPN), have agreed to elect RJPN's candidate as the speaker in the province.
Race for provincial assembly speakers begins
Province 3 elected UML's provincial assembly member from Kathmandu 2 a, Sanu Shrestha as the speaker of the province unopposed on Saturday. UML alternate politburo member Shrestha is also a former chairman of Kathmandu district development committee. Former State Minister Radhika Tamang of the Maoist Center is poised to become the deputy speaker of the province through an election later this week.
Likewise UML has also finalized Arun Bahadur Thapa as the speaker's candidate for Province 7 for Monday's election. A teacher-turned-politician, Thapa had contested the parliamentary polls in 1999 from Bajhang.
Chandra Bahadur Shahi of Mugu 1 a and Raj Bahadur Shahi of Dailekh 2 b are in the speaker's fray for Province 6 after UML senior leader Prakash Jwala was reluctant to get elected to the post. Jwala said the party will pick the speaker's candidate on Sunday morning. Both provinces 6 and 7 have set Sunday as the nomination date for the speaker's election.
Maoist Center is working to finalize the speakers' candidates in Province 5 and 4. According to party's insiders, the party's leadership is in a fix to finalize the candidate as several leaders are eying the post. Maoist leaders Dadhiram Neupane, Sudarshan Baral and Purna Gharti are in the fray to become the speaker of Province 5 according to sources. Hari Bahadur Chuwan, Netra Nath Adhikari and Aasha Koirala are in the speaker's race in Province 4 from the Maoist Center.
With the FSFN deciding to support RJPN's candidate for speaker in Province 2, the party's leaders Ram Naresh Raya, Nawal Kishor Sah and Manish Kumar Suman have been lobbying to become the speaker of the province.
UML is yet to decide the speaker of Province 1 despite the election inching closer. Jeevan Ghimire who gave up the chief minister's race is a strong candidate for the speaker's post in the province, said leaders. Likewise, Ushakala Rai is also claiming the post, according to the party's leaders.
