UML Party Joins Madhesh Province Government

Janakpur. The CPN-UML has joined the Madhesh Province government. While Madhesh Province Chief Minister Krishna Prasad Yadav is preparing to take a vote of confidence today (Friday), Mohammad Samir from the CPN-UML was inducted into the government as a minister without portfolio late Thursday night.

This entry of UML into the government just a few hours before the vote of confidence indicates a complete shift in the power equation.

According to Saroj Kumar Yadav, the leader of the CPN-UML Madhesh Province parliamentary party, three more ministers from UML will join the government. He informed that Mohammad Samir will take the oath of office today, and preparations are underway to administer the oath to the other three ministers by this evening. According to him, an agreement has been reached for UML to receive four ministries. 

He clarified that UML joined the government in line with the new alliance formed at the center. Furthermore, he claimed that the Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) Nepal would exit the government. However, just yesterday, a meeting of JSP Nepal's parliamentary party had already issued a whip directing its members to vote in favor of the government led by Chief Minister Krishna Prasad Yadav.

Meanwhile, it is understood that Chief Minister Krishna Prasad Yadav is trying to move forward by keeping JSP Nepal along with them.

In the provincial assembly, JSP Nepal has 26 members, CPN-UML has 24, Nepali Congress has 22, CPN (Maoist Centre) has 13, Janamat Party has 12, while RPP and Nepal Samajbadi Party have 1 member each. With the combined strength of Congress, UML, and CPN (Maoist Centre) totaling 60, along with the support of JSP Nepal, Chief Minister Yadav appears set to secure the vote of confidence from around 86 lawmakers.