JANAKPURDHAM: Jitendra Prasad Sonal has been sworn in as the Chief Minister of Madhes Province, taking the oath of office and secrecy in Bhojpuri language before Province Chief Sumitra Subedi Bhandari at the Provincial Chief’s Office in Janakpurdham.

Sonal, a provincial assembly member of the Loktantrik Samajwadi Party (LSP) Nepal, was appointed with the support of 56 assembly members from five parties under Article 168 (2) of the Constitution.

Following his appointment, two newly designated ministers—Mahesh Prasad Yadav of the Janmat Party and Kanis Patel of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Socialist)—were sworn in as ministers without portfolio in a separate ceremony at the same office.

The new government, led by LSP Nepal, is a coalition that also includes Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) Nepal, Janmat Party, CPN (Maoist Centre), and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Socialist), marking the formal formation of Madhes Province’s executive.