The Sudurpaschim Assembly failed to elect a new Speaker even through a second round of voting held on Saturday after the provincial assembly members of the Nagarik Unmukti Party remained neutral.

The motion calling to elect CPN (Maoist Centre) provincial assembly member Bhim Bahadur Bhandari as a Speaker failed to get the required 27 votes for a majority after seven lawmakers of the Nagarik Unmukti Party chose to remain neutral. Bhandari, who had received 26 votes in a voting held on Thursday, got only 22 votes today.

The ruling alliance has 29 members in the 53-strong assembly including 11 of the Maoist Centre, 10 of the UML, seven of the Nagarik Unmukti Party and one of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party.

Likewise, a motion calling to elect Man Bahadur Rawal of the Nepali Congress as a Speaker received 23 votes. He had received 22 votes in the first round of voting.

As per a power-sharing deal, the UML and Maoist Centre will lead the provincial government on a rotation basis. Likewise, the parties in the ruling alliance had agreed to share the Speaker post with the Maoist Centre and the deputy Speaker post with the Nagarik Unmukti Party.

UML’s provincial assembly leader Rajendra Singh Rawal was appointed chief minister on Wednesday with the backing of 29 lawmakers including the Nagarik Unmukti Party. However, the party has remained neutral in the voting for a Speaker expressing its discontent over the appointment of provincial ministers.

Lakshman Kishore Chaudhary, provincial chief whip of the Nagarik Unmukti Party said, “I abstained on the first round of election as a protest against the appointment of the minister contrary to a consensus forged. All of our members will remain neutral in today’s voting.”

The next meeting has been summoned for Monday.