Sushil Pyakurel, one of the petitioners in the murder case against Sapkota, resigned after being asked to withdraw the case by ruling party members.

Ram Chandra Poudel group, which has backing of a host of senior leaders, wants to hold ‘decisive talks’ with party president today.

Four leaders from the Janata Party’s six-member presidium are in favour of joining the Oli administration while two are against, party insiders says.

Party insiders say that Agni Sapkota for Speaker is part of a larger deal among Deuba, Dahal and Oli that includes transitional justice and the Constitutional Council.

Dahal, who had long been sidelined by Oli in the party, has bounced back and ensured that the Maoists maintain at least one high-level state position.

Oli has become more flexible on the candidate for Speaker and has agreed to Dahal’s choice, party insiders say.

Muktinath Adhikari, a teacher and a member of Amnesty International Nepal, was killed in Lamjung 18 years ago by the Maoists.

With both NCP chairs not giving up on their candidates for Speaker of the House, party leaders are afraid the issue could snowball.

The political parties continue to function in a pyramid model where a handful of leaders at the top make decisions on behalf of a vast majority, analysts say.

While some have pointed to the deputy Speaker’s refusal to resign as an obstacle, it is the ruling party’s factional infighting that is holding the House hostage, insiders say.

The deputy speaker’s fight for the post shows that despite being eminently qualified, women are still relegated to deputy positions.

The House of Representatives meet has been deferred to January 20

By imposing decisions on elected officials, who are the representatives of the people, the ruling party is ruining democratic principles, analysts and party insiders say.

While the Speaker’s post is a bone of contention, the party is split deeper over the Millennium Challenge Corporation’s Nepal compact.

The crucial meeting decided for tomorrow by the recently concluded Standing Committee has been postponed to January 23.

At a time when the party should be acting as a check on the Oli administration, it is too busy dealing with factional infighting.

The Maoists are already a minority in Nepal Communist Party as they had merged with 40 percent share in committees.

The party leadership failed to live up to its recent commitment to following due process, accuse leaders.

If the Maoist faction of the ruling party lets go of House Speaker, all of the highest-ranking state officials will be from the former UML.

Major happenings of the year put the ruling Communist Party at the centre of attention, often exposing the limitations of even an all-powerful government.