In a surprising reversal, the ruling CPN-UML on Friday stated that it has not reached any conclusion on whether to remove Indira Rana from the post of Deputy Speaker.

It was the CPN-UML that had first sought Rana’s resignation accusing her of misusing her office.

Rana, who was elected from the Rastriya Swatantra Party, became embroiled in controversy after it emerged that, in February last year, she requested the US Embassy to expedite visa interviews for individuals with no apparent connection to her official duties.

After months of heated debate, the ruling parties now argue that Rana’s action violated the ethical standards outlined in Article 91 of the Constitution of Nepal, and are pushing for her removal.

Some UML lawmakers, speaking in the House of Representatives, have called for her removal, accusing her of writing to the US embassy directly, bypassing proper government channels.

According to reports, Rana did not even personally know some individuals for whom she requested interview dates at the embassy.

“We have not reached any conclusion on removing the deputy speaker,” said UML General Secretary Shankar Pokhrel after the party’s secretariat meeting. According to Pokharel, the issue was discussed in the meeting but there was no clear consensus on how to proceed. “Unlike how the issue has come out in the media, we have not reached a conclusion,” he said.

The Nepali Congress, the largest party and ruling coalition member, has also demanded Rana’s resignation citing the moral responsibility of holding the post. Should she refuse to quit, both the UML and the Congress have reached an understanding to remove her through a two-thirds majority of the House of Representatives. However, internal divisions within the Congress and hesitation among other fringe parties have delayed action.

While the two largest parties are rooting for her resignation, both Rana and the Rastriya Swatantra Party have resisted. The RSP has admitted that Rana made a mistake by writing to the embassy, but questioned why the ruling parties have revived the issue after 19 months.

Meanwhile, the third largest party, the CPN (Maoist Centre), has opposed the big parties’ plan to remove Rana. Following a parliamentary party meeting on Friday, the party’s chief whip Hitraj Pandey said they would resist the ruling coalition’s attempts to oust her with a two-thirds majority, although he acknowledged Rana’s mistake.

UML General Secretary Pokharel says the decision to remove Rana is a matter for the parliament to decide. He also emphasised that both the RSP and Rana should clarify their stance on the issue.

“If the allegations are true, she should resign. She is no longer fit for the role,” he said.

A meeting of senior Congress leaders on Wednesday concluded that Rana had misused her post by writing directly to the US embassy. “That is why we are calling for her resignation. If she does not resign, we will initiate the process to remove her,” said party’s chief whip Shyam Ghimire. “She made a blunder by writing to the Embassy in such a manner.”

“The process could take some time—possibly another two or three days,” said Ghimire.

On February 26 last year, Rana wrote a letter to the US Embassy requesting visa interviews for herself and five others. She has been facing pressure to step down after the letter was leaked two months ago. In the letter, Rana requested the embassy to expedite interview dates for six people, including herself. The others named in the letter were Dipendra Gautam, Sushma Lama, Rajesh Lama Tamang, Sujan Magar, and Dhan Prasad Gurung.

Rana had written that she wanted the interview dates to be preponed as they were attending the 67th Commission on the Status of Women session, scheduled in New York from March 6 to 17, 2023. The RSP leaders have also admitted that Rana misused her position by directly writing to the US embassy, but argue that the ruling alliance has blown the issue out of proportion after 19 months.

The RSP and some fringe parties claim that the ruling parties want a Congress member as Deputy Speaker so that the alliance has an upper hand or absolute majority in the powerful Constitutional Council, which elects the chiefs and members of constitutional bodies including the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

The Congress, despite being the largest party in the House of Representatives, does not have representation in the Council. Both the Congress and the UML have already gathered the necessary signatures to remove Rana if she refuses to step down. Although the UML appears unified on the issue, there are some differences in the Congress. The party’s Shekhar Koirala faction has expressed dissatisfaction with the plan to remove Rana.