The NC, which on Thursday had discussed the election with Madhes-based parties in the opposition, instead issued a whip to its lawmakers on Friday to vote for the candidates fielded by the ruling coalition.
As the NC did not contest for the posts, UCPN (Maoist) lawmaker Onsari Gharti Magar and Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal (RPP-N) lawmaker Ganga Prasad Yadav were elected unopposed as speaker and deputy speaker respectively.
Speaking in parliament, NC Vice-President Ram Chandra Paudel said that the party supported the candidates from the ruling coalition thinking that it would encourage cooperation between political parties in future.
"The coordinator of the High-level Political Committee of the ruling coalition officially urged us to support their candidates, so with the intention of encouraging political cooperation in future we supported their candidates," said Paudel.
The NC's support to the candidates fielded by the ruling coalition is a significant turn in recent politics. Breaking the alliance with the CPN-UML and UCPN (Maoist), NC President Sushil Koirala had contested in the election for prime minister last week. Though the UCPN (Maoist) and UML had urged the NC to forge consensus for electing UML Chair K P Oli and forming a coalition government, the party had decided to contest in the election and remain in the opposition.
NC central committee member and former minister Dr Minendra Rijal said that his party discussed the election with other political parties since it was natural for the main opposition party to contest for key position but claimed that his party had never said that it would contest for each and every post.
However, a CPN-UML leader involved in political negotiations said that the NC stayed out of the contest as the Madhes-based parties, which had supported the NC in the prime ministerial election, clearly told that they will not participate in the vote for speaker and deputy speaker.
"The NC was preparing to contest until last hour but Madhes-based parties refused to attend the vote. Meanwhile, the ruling coalition officially asked for support," said the leader.
Within the ruling coalition, the CPN-UML and the UCPN (Maoist) have agreed to field candidates for president and speaker respectively.
"The ruling coalition will officially ask the NC again to support the UML presidential candidate. There is no need to make any speculations about the election of president after the NC supported us in the election for speaker," said the UML leader.
On the other hand, NC leader Rijal said that the NC will discuss the upcoming election for president and vice-President with other political parties. "We'll discuss the election in future but the main opposition will not plead with the ruling coalition to vote for our candidates if any. If the ruling coalition comes up with any proposal, we will discuss it," said Rijal.
Speaking in parliament, NC Vice-President Ram Chandra Paudel said that the party supported the candidates from the ruling coalition thinking that it would encourage cooperation between political parties in future.
"The coordinator of the High-level Political Committee of the ruling coalition officially urged us to support their candidates, so with the intention of encouraging political cooperation in future we supported their candidates," said Paudel.
The NC's support to the candidates fielded by the ruling coalition is a significant turn in recent politics. Breaking the alliance with the CPN-UML and UCPN (Maoist), NC President Sushil Koirala had contested in the election for prime minister last week. Though the UCPN (Maoist) and UML had urged the NC to forge consensus for electing UML Chair K P Oli and forming a coalition government, the party had decided to contest in the election and remain in the opposition.
NC central committee member and former minister Dr Minendra Rijal said that his party discussed the election with other political parties since it was natural for the main opposition party to contest for key position but claimed that his party had never said that it would contest for each and every post.
However, a CPN-UML leader involved in political negotiations said that the NC stayed out of the contest as the Madhes-based parties, which had supported the NC in the prime ministerial election, clearly told that they will not participate in the vote for speaker and deputy speaker.
"The NC was preparing to contest until last hour but Madhes-based parties refused to attend the vote. Meanwhile, the ruling coalition officially asked for support," said the leader.
Within the ruling coalition, the CPN-UML and the UCPN (Maoist) have agreed to field candidates for president and speaker respectively.
"The ruling coalition will officially ask the NC again to support the UML presidential candidate. There is no need to make any speculations about the election of president after the NC supported us in the election for speaker," said the UML leader.
On the other hand, NC leader Rijal said that the NC will discuss the upcoming election for president and vice-President with other political parties. "We'll discuss the election in future but the main opposition will not plead with the ruling coalition to vote for our candidates if any. If the ruling coalition comes up with any proposal, we will discuss it," said Rijal.
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