Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Jitendra Sonal of Loktantrik Samajbadi Party (LSP) Nepal has been appointed the Chief Minister of Madhesh Province.
Province Chief Sumitra Subedi Bhandari appointed Sonal as Chief Minister on Wednesday evening as per Article 168 (2) of the Constitution of Nepal, 2015, on Wednesday.
Sonal replaces Satish Kumar Singh of Janamat Party, who stepped down before a scheduled floor test on Tuesday afternoon. Singh’s government fell in a minority after his coalition partners CPN-UML and the Nepali Congress (NC), as well as his own party, Janamat, withdrew their support.
Earlier on Wednesday, Sonal, with the backing of Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) Nepal, Janamat Party, CPN (Maoist Center), CPN (Unified Socialist) and Nagarik Unmukti Party, staked his claim to form the new government. He had submitted support of 56 members – 19 from JSP Nepal, 13 from the Janamat Party, nine from the Maoist Center, seven from LSP Nepal, seven from the Unified Socialist and one from Nagarik Unmukti.
A majority of 54 votes is required to form a government in the 107-member Madhesh Province Assembly.
Although the Janamat Party had earlier supported the bid of NC and UML to form a government in Madhesh, it eventually decided to back Sonal.
Two lawmakers from the party, outgoing Chief Minister Satish Kumar and Tribhuvan Sah, on Wednesday announced that they have joined the newly formed Janaswaraj Party. Janaswaraj Party was formed following a split of Janamat.
The Election Commission has given seven days for the formal identification of members belonging to the new party.
If the Janaswaraj Party decides not to support Sonal’s government, his majority could fall to 54 lawmakers.
Krishna Prasad Yadav of NC had also submitted his claim to form a government in Madhesh with the support of 23 lawmakers from UML, 22 from NC and 13 from the Janamat Party.
However, Janamat’s parliamentary party leader, Mahesh Prasad Yada, later submitted a letter of support for Sonal, which ended Yadav’s bid for the top post in Madhesh.
