Kathmandu, August 6: The main opposition CPN-UML has decided to give its own candidate for chairman of National Assembly (Upper House of parliament). Election for the chairman of National Assembly is to be held on August 12.
The standing committee of the CPN-UML decided to give its own candidate for upper House Chairman. However, it has not decided the name of candidate. CPN-UML said the name of the candidate would be announced later.
The standing committee has constituted a four-member panel and given responsibility to initiate dialogue to muster support of National Assembly members of other parties and royal nominees. The members of the panel are general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, K.P. Sharma Oli, Bharat Mohan Adhikari and Yuva Raj Gyawali.
According to CPN-UML sources, it has already held discussion with other political parties except Nepali Congress and Nepal Sadbhavana Party and royal nominees regarding the election for the National Assembly Chairman.
It said all political parties have agreed to support non-congress candidate for National Assembly chairman. But they have not decided whom they want to support.
Nepali Congress has already named Bashudev Rishal as its candidate for the Chairman of the National Assembly, Upper House of parliament. No party has majority in the Upper House. In the 60-member National Assembly, Nepali Congress has 24 members, CPN-UML 17, RPP 3, CPN-ML 3, RPP (Chand) 2, Nepal Sadbhavana Party 1 and 10 Royal nominees.
Election for the Upper House Chairman had been held on July 14th. But election for the Upper House chairman is going to be held again as none of the three candidates could get required number of votes in the election for the same held on July 14th.
Now the whole process is to be initiated. In earlier election, there were three candidates for the Upper House Chairman in the last election. They were Basu Rishal of Nepali Congress, Mohammad Mohasin of RPP and Royal nominee Ramesh Nath Pandey.
CPN-UML supported Ramesh Nath Pandey in the election held on July 14. However, CPN-UML has publicly said that it would give its own candidate for the Upper House Chairman this time. But the party has not decided its candidate for the same.
Ramesh Nath Pandey has already announced that he would not again contest for the Upper House Chairman. In the triangular contest held on July 14th, Ramesh Nath Pandey got the most votes. However, those who rejected his candidacy were also in equal number. When Vice chairman of the National Assembly Chiranjibi Rijal asked the members of the national assembly to vote on the candidacy of Ramesh Nath Pandey, 29 members (17 of CPN-UML, 9 Royal nominees, and 3 of CPN-ML) supported Pandey, while 29 members (23 of Nepali Congress, 3 of RPP, 2 of RPP-Chand and one Royal nominee) rejected his candidacy.
When there was a tie about Pandey’s candidacy, Chiranjibi Rijal, who was presiding today’s meeting, gave a casting vote against Pandey’s. As a result, majority also rejected his candidacy. Similarly, the candidacy of Basudev Rishal of the Nepali Congress was also rejected as he got the support of only 24 members (23 Nepali Congress and one Nepal Sadbhavana Party).
RPP candidate Mohamad Mohasin was also rejected as he got support of only five members (3 of RPP and 2 of RPP-Chand).