KATHMANDU, Jan. 21 -- After weeks-long wrangling between the two chairmen, the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) on Sunday unanimously decided to pick Agni Sapkota - a preferred choice of Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal - as the party's candidate for the Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR).

Although some may dismiss this as any other decision taken by the party, NCP leaders say this not only indicates a changing equation within the party but also paves the way for a possible long-term alliance between Chairman Dahal and senior leader Madhav Nepal within the party to ensure a check against Chairman KP Oli.

Chairman Oli, who also holds the portfolio of prime minister, insisted till the end to field his trusted lieutenant Subas Nemb...