Kathmandu, Jan. 12 -- Indecision on the Speaker candidate continued on Saturday, a day ahead of the scheduled House meeting, and the ruling Nepal Communist Party leadership decided to ask Shiva Maya Tumbahangphe to resign.

Deputy Speaker Tumbahangphe has staked her claim to the Speaker's post, which has been vacant since early October after Krishna Bahadur Mahara stepped down following attempted rape allegations.

Though the decision to ask her to resign was taken by the party Secretariat, leaders said it came from Co-chairs KP Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

According to party insiders, the way decision-making has been absolutely reserved for the two top leaders shows not only a breakdown of the democratic process in the party but i...