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 and Jwala Sangraula.
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.
