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The race for Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives took a dramatic turn on Thursday. Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) parliamentary party leader Gyanendra Shahi claimed that Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chair Rabi Lamichhane had verbally agreed to support the RPP’s bid for Deputy Speaker. However, the ruling party instead backed the Harka Sampang-led Shram Sanskriti Party.

The RSP announced its endorsement of 26 years old Rubi Kumari Thakur of the Shram Sanskriti Party, virtually ensuring her victory. With this backing, the alliance commands 189 seats in the lower house—well above the two-thirds majority threshold—placing Thakur far ahead of the RPP candidate Saraswati Lama. Thakur’s candidacy was proposed by Shram Sanskriti lawmaker Aaren Rai and was seconded by RSP’s Ashok Kumar Chaudhary.

RPP’s Shahi publicly accused Lamichhane of reneging on a prior commitment. “We will see how much he fulfills his promise,” Shahi told reporters.

The emerging alliance is notable given past tensions. Harka Sampang, chair of the Shram Sanskriti Party, has been a vocal critic of the RSP-led government both inside and outside Parliament. Despite this, the two parties have now aligned, giving the ruling bloc a commanding two-third majority.

The Shram Sanskriti’s path to the Deputy Speakership appears to have been shaped by internal rifts within the RPP, despite an earlier verbal understanding between leaders.

A source told ApEx that the RSP had initially preferred Khusbu Oli as a consensus candidate for Deputy Speaker. However, RPP parliamentary party leader Shahi instead pushed forward Saraswati Lama, who is also the spouse of RPP leader Buddhiman Tamang.

Although Oli seconded Lama’s nomination, she was reportedly seeking the post herself. After learning of the internal discord within the RPP, the RSP recalibrated its position and chose to back the Shram Sanskriti Party’s candidate. 

The election follows the unopposed appointment of Dol Prasad Aryal as Speaker on April 5. Constitutional provisions require that the Speaker and Deputy Speaker be from different parties and of different genders. 

Prime Minister Balendra Shah on Thursday removed Minister Labour, Employment and Social Security Deepak Kumar Sah from his post on Thursday.

The Prime Minister decided to remove Sah from the ministerial post  on the recommendation of the Rastriya  Swatantra Party (RSP).

Earlier, RSP President Rabi Lamichhane had recommended Prime Minister Shah to take action against Minister Sah alleging that he appointed his wife to the Health Insurance Board by misusing his position. . 

Former Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and former Home Minister and Nepali Congress leader Ramesh Lekhak have been released on a general date on Thursday. 

Kathmandu Police Chief SSP Ramesh Thapa said that they received a letter from the public prosecutor directing them to release the individuals and hand them over to the concerned party in accordance with the Supreme Court’s order.

Hearing the writ petition filed by Oli and the Lekhak’s family, the court ordered their release after the five-day remand, extended by the Kathmandu court last Monday, expired.

Police had arrested Oli and Lekhak on March 28 while implementing the report of the inquiry commission formed to investigate the Gen Z protest held on September 8 and 9.

A total of 77 people were killed-many of them protesters shot by police- during the protests, which also resulted in the destruction of government and private property worth billions of rupees.

The Kathmandu District Court has issued an arrest warrant against former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and his wife and former Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba over alleged illegal wealth acquisition.

The couple is currently abroad, reportedly in Singapore.

The Money Laundering Investigation Department is pursuing the case following claims that burnt currency and bonds were recovered from their residence during the GenZ protest.