JANPURDHAM: Madhes Province Chief Minister Jitendra Sonal resigned from his post yesterday, but the process to form a new government has yet to be initiated.

Although Province Chief Sumitra Subedi Bhandari has accepted Sonal’s resignation, she has not yet called for the formation of a new government.

According to Article 168 (2) or (3) of Nepal’s Constitution, the provincial head is required to invite parties to form a government under certain conditions, but uncertainty surrounding the process has led her to hold consultations before taking the next step.

Bhandari has been consulting with key political leaders, including outgoing Chief Minister Jitendra Sonal, Nepali Congress parliamentary party leader Krishna Prasad Yadav, CPN (UML) leader Saroj Kumar Yadav, and Speaker Ram Chandra Mandal.

Sonal, who represented the Loktantrik Samajwadi Party Nepal, had been appointed chief minister with the backing of 56 provincial assembly members from five parties under Article 168 (2) of the Constitution.

However, after two Maoist Centre members rebelled during a confidence vote that Sonal had proposed on Saturday, he announced his resignation in line with constitutional procedures.