THT 10 years ago: Alliance meet on Speaker issue fails A crucial meeting of top leaders of the seven-party alliance on the issue of electing a Speaker failed today. It is now highly likely that election to the same will be held on a partisan basis in tomorrow’s meeting of the Parliament. The post has remained vacant after Speaker Taranath Ranabhat tendered his resignation on April 26. The meeting is scheduled to take place tomorrow morning and decide on the Speaker’s issue. Today’s meeting, held at Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s official residence at Baluwatar, could not reach a consensus after the UML and the Nepali Congress (Democratic) both staked claim over the post. While the UML has proposed its lawmaker Subhas Chandra Nembang’s name for the post, the NC(D) has been pushing for the Deputy Speaker, Chitra Lekha Yadav, to take up the job. The Prime Minister is learnt to have backed UML’s candidacy, while the Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandi) is said to be in favour of the Deputy Speaker who belongs to the NC-D. According to Janamorcha Nepal president Amik Sherchan, his party would decide whom to vote for in tomorrow’s meeting. With the NC and the UML sharing the largest number of seats in the parliament (NC-72 and UML-66) it is likely that Nembang will emerge victorious. There is also speculation that some lawmakers of the Nepali Congress may cross the floor and support the Deputy Speaker. NC lawmakers such as Shiva Basnet, Mahadev Gurung, Suresh Malla, Kamala Pant, Janak Giri, Hari Sapkota, Romi Gauchan and Pushkar Ojha have already demanded that Yadav be appointed the Speaker. Stir inspires Everest expedition A Democratic Mount Everest Expedition 2006 is scheduled to mark the success of the People’s Movement by scaling the world’s tallest peak. The five-member team, led by Insu Rai of Faktang VDC of Khotang, will put the flags of all the parties of seven-party alliance and photographs of the 21 people who attained martyrdom during the Jana Andolan II, besides the national flag, on top of the peak. Other members of the team include Ang Ngima Sherpa, a resident of Beni VDC, Pasang Sherpa of Taksindu VDC, Santosh Basnet of Kerung VDC and Bhuvan Rai of Jubhing VDC in Solukhumbu district. Ang Ngima, who has seven years of mountaineering experience will be the one to take the flags to the Everest top along with Rai, while the others will provide logistic support. At a press conference organised by Sagarmatha Anchal Samparka Manch of the CPNUML here today, Ngima Sherpa said the expedition was inspired by the success of the Jana Andolan. He said the leaders of the seven-party alliance had assured them of all possible help in their endeavour. Rai said although they had very limited time for preparation, they would try their best to scale the peak in the summer season.