Madhesh Chief Minister Krishna Prasad Yadav has resigned after failing to secure a majority.
Yadav announced his resignation during an assembly meeting on Saturday, November 14.
“I have chosen to resign because serving the public and earning their trust is more important,” he stated.
Government in Crisis Due to Defections
His resignation follows the departure of two major coalition partners, the CPN-UML and the Nepali Communist Party (NCP).
On October 30, the CPN-UML exited the government, recalling four ministers from the provincial government. This prompted the Nepali Communist Party to leave the coalition on November 6.
As a result, Yadav’s government no longer holds a clear majority in the Provincial Assembly.
Despite efforts to engage with other political parties, he could not gather enough support for a confidence vote.
Majority Requirement for Chief Minister
The Madhesh Provincial Assembly has 102 members, meaning Yadav needed at least 52 votes for a majority.
The vote distribution by party is as follows:
- Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal: 27 votes
- CPN-UML: 24 votes
- Nepali Congress: 22 votes
- Nepali Communist Party: 15 votes
- Janamat Party: 12 votes
- Federal Socialist Party: 1 vote
- Rastriya Prajatantra Party: 1 vote
Since the Nepali Congress leads Yadav’s government with only 22 votes, he needed to gain support from other parties to achieve a majority.
Formation of a New Government
Following Yadav’s resignation, a new government in Madhesh Province will be formed.
According to Article 168(2) of the Nepalese Constitution, the provincial chief must invite parties to form a government with support from at least two parties in the Provincial Assembly.
However, uncertainty remains about who will lead the new government.
Ongoing Political Discussions in Madhesh
The CPN-UML has expressed willingness to back a government led by the Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal, but internal conflicts within JSP Nepal are complicating the formation of a new political alliance.
Janamat Party Chairman Dr. CK Raut has also declared that his party will not participate in the next provincial government.
This adds to the uncertainty surrounding the new government formation.
In the coming days, it will be crucial for Madhesh Province as political parties negotiate leadership for the next government.