KATHMANDU: Political tensions have escalated in Madhesh Province following the appointment of CPN-UML‘s parliamentary party leader Saroj Yadav as the Chief Minister.
The dispute erupted after Province Chief Sumitra Subedi Bhandari appointed Yadav outside the provincial capital, at a resort, instead of at the provincial headquarters in Janakpur.
According to sources close to Yadav, Province Chief Subedi appointed him as Chief Minister this morning at a resort in Bardibas, where he was subsequently administered the oath of office and secrecy. Leaders of other parties in the province say they were kept completely in the dark.
Opposition parties have raised two main objections. First, the Province Chief had not officially called for the formation of a new government as required by the constitution. Had such a notice been issued, parties, including the Loktantrik Samajbadi Party (LSP) Nepal and the Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) Nepal, were reportedly preparing to form a coalition government through mutual understanding. Second, despite earlier pressure from those parties to form the government under the relevant constitutional clause, the Province Chief instead made the appointment early Monday morning outside the provincial capital.
Politics of betrayal
The drama began after Jitendra Sonal of LSP Nepal stepped down less than a month after he was appointed Chief Minister, after it became clear he would not be able to secure a trust vote in the Madhesh Province Assembly on Saturday.
LSP Nepal leaders say their party felt betrayed by the CPN (Maoist Center). Following the merger of 10 leftist parties, including the Maoist Center, into the newly formed Nepali Communist Party (NCP), divisions had emerged even within the Maoists themselves. Maoist Center’s province assembly members Rahbar Ansari and Mala Karna announced in the province assembly that they would not support Sonal’s vote of confidence motion.
With some Janamat Party lawmakers also refusing to back Sonal, he chose to step down. After resigning, Sonal requested the province head to form a new government under the same constitutional clause used for his own appointment.
Sonal had been appointed under Article 168 (2) of the Constitution of Nepal, 2015. He argued that the next government should also be formed under the same provision. However, Province Head Subedi instead invoked Article 168(3), which allows the leader of the largest party in the provincial assembly to form a government.
CPN-UML is the largest party in the 107-member Madhesh Province Assembly with 25 seats, including the Speaker.
Assurance first, betrayal later
According to party leaders, they had already suspected on Sunday that Yadav might be appointed Chief Minister. As a result, several leaders had begun a sit-in at the Chief Minister’s office that same day.
LSP Nepal sources said the Province Chief had assured them on Sunday evening that the new government would be formed under Article 168 (2).
LSP Nepal leader Samar Sah said that 74 provincial assembly members had jointly submitted a petition to the Province Chief to form a new government as per Article 168 (2). But on Monday morning, she informed them she was unwell and needed medical attention. The protesting leaders allowed her to leave, believing she was going for treatment, only to learn later that she had left the capital and appointed Yadav as Chief Minister.
What happens next?
Province Chief Subedi has now returned to Kathmandu. Newly appointed Chief Minister Yadav has formed a three-member Cabinet, including Laxan Das from the UML, Bimala Ansari from the Sanghiya Samajbadi Party, and Kanchan Bichha from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP).
These two parties have one seat each in the provincial assembly.
Opposition parties, however, are planning a counter-move. “We are in a meeting right now. We will soon launch protests against the new provincial government,” said LSP leader Sah.
