KATHMANDU: The Madhesh Province government has fallen into a crisis after the ruling partner Janamat Party withdrew its support. The Janamat Party withdrew its support claiming that the government, led by Nepali Congress parliamentary party leader Krishna Prasad Yadav, failed to deliver to the people. The government has reached a stage of collapse after a majority of members (nine individuals) of the Janamat Party, which holds 12 seats in the Madhesh Provincial Assembly, withdrew support for the Madhesh government on Monday evening, May 4.

Even though Janamat withdrew its support for the government, two individuals from this party who became ministers continue to remain in the government. The parliamentary party leader of Janamat, Mahesh Prasad Yadav, is the Finance Minister, while Basanta Kushwaha is the Minister for Social Welfare and Sports. Except for these two and Tribhuvan Sah, the letter of withdrawal of support, signed by the other lawmakers, was sent to the Province chief by the Janamat Chief Whip Chandan Singh on Monday.

There is a constitutional provision that the Chief Minister must take a vote of confidence from the Provincial Assembly within 30 days after a ruling partner withdraws support. If the vote of confidence is not obtained, the Province chief will call upon the parties to form a new government.

With the Janamat Party withdrawing support from the government, homework for a new power equation in the province has been intensified. Currently, the Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) Nepal), which is in the ruling coalition, has moved discussions forward with parties to form a government in its capacity as the largest party in the Provincial Assembly (JSP Nepal’s 18 seats and 8 seats of the unified Loktantrik Samajbadi Party). JSP Nepal has started discussions to form a government under its leadership by joining with the CPN (UML) and the Janamat Party. Accordingly, JSP Nepal is in a strategy to vote against the Chief Minister during the vote of confidence. Along with JSP Nepal, Loktantrik Samajbadi Party (LSP) is also in the coalition of the current Nepali Congress led government. There are two ministers from JSP Nepal and one minister from LSP.

Although there has been a unification between JSP Nepal and LSP at the central level, the unification in the province has not taken place yet. As a result, both parties hold separate statuses in the Provincial Assembly. After the unification process is complete, there will be 26 lawmakers of JSP Nepal in the Madhesh Provincial Assembly.

Office of Chief Minister and Minister Council Madhesh

JSP Nepal Secretary Shailendra Prasad Sah stated that it would take about 10 days for the unification between the two parties. “After the unification, we will initiate efforts to form a government under the party’s leadership by selecting a parliamentary party leader,” he said.

LSP parliamentary party leader Jaynul Rain mentioned that various parties agree to form a government under the leadership of JSP Nepal and efforts will be made for this. “A decision regarding the government formation will be made at the time of the vote of confidence. Discussions regarding the withdrawal of support have not taken place within the party yet,” he said.

CPN (UML) lawmaker Sharada Thapa stated that preparations have already been made to join the new government to be formed after this government falls. She informed that there have been talks within the CPN (UML) regarding participating in the government by giving the leadership to other parties. She said, “Our preparation is not to give a vote of confidence to the current government and to participate in the new government”.

Meanwhile, Nepali Congress Chief Whip Kunwarkant Jha stated that the Chief Minister is in Kathmandu and he is discussing with party leaders. “There is talk of the Chief Minister returning this very evening; after that, discussions regarding the developing political situation will take place,” he said.

With the Janmat Party withdrawing support from the government, preparations are underway to replace the next Chief Minister.

In the uneasy situation of last year’s Gen Z protests, on September 9, 2025, the then Chief Minister of Madhesh Province, Satish Kumar Singh, resigned from his post via Facebook. He mentioned that ‘the current situation, where the lives of citizens could not be secured, forced this decision to be taken with self-respect’. However, after the Provincial Assembly was not dissolved, he took a stand to remain in office. Since then, the Madhesh Province government has remained unstable. Since that time, three Chief Ministers have been changed. With the Janamat Party withdrawing support from the government, preparations are underway for another change of Chief Minister.

In the 107-member Madhesh Province, support from 54 members of parliament is required for a majority. Currently, the positions of five Provincial Assembly members are vacant, while two individuals are under suspension. In the Madhesh Provincial Assembly, there are 24 members from CPN (UML), at least 22 from Nepali Congress, at least 18 from JSP Nepal including the Speaker, at least 14 from CPN (UML), at least 12 from Janamat Party, some eight from LSP, and one each from Nagarik Unmukti and Nepal Sanghiya Samajbadi Party. The position became vacant after the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) took action against and removed its proportional representative lawmaker Kanchan Bichha.

Janamat internal conflict

The issue of withdrawing support given to the government has heightened the dispute within the Janamat Party. On Monday, Janamat Chief Whip Chandan Kumar Singh sent a letter to the Province chief informing about the withdrawal of support provided to the Madhesh Province government. The letter is signed by nine Provincial Assembly members of the party. Immediately after this, Janamat’s parliamentary party leader and sitting Finance Minister Mahesh Prasad Yadav sent another letter to the Province Chief’s office, in which it was mentioned that the support for the government remains intact.

After two different letters reached the Province Chief’s office, the party’s dispute has become public. According to Janamat Party Chairman CK Raut, the decision for Janamat to leave the Madhesh government was made in a meeting of the party’s parliamentary party held on April 24.

Madhesh Province Chief Minister Krishna Prasad Yadav says that discussions are underway among the ruling parties regarding the evolving political scenario and that there is no adverse situation for the government.

In the meantime, the parliamentary party leader of the Janamat Party in the Madhesh Provincial Assembly has been changed. Chairman Raut stated that Chandan Kumar Singh has been designated as the parliamentary party leader effective from May 4. Raut even made public a letter on social media stating that Yadav was removed as the parliamentary party leader and Singh was made the leader for going against the party’s decision. Writing a status on Facebook on Tuesday (today), Raut said the decision for the Janamat Party to exit the Madhesh government was for the benefit of the party and the people.

Yadav, who is a minister from the Janamat Party, stated that since this is the time for budget formulation and plan implementation, he supported the government, as a change in government would send a negative message to the people. “I did not know how the party’s decision came about,” he said.

CM Yadav denies government crisis

Madhesh Province Chief Minister Krishna Prasad Yadav stated that discussions are ongoing among the ruling parties regarding the developing political scenario and no adverse condition has arisen for the government. He said, “There is a favorable condition everywhere, not an adverse one. We are in dialogue with all parties.”

He said that the dispute of Janamat is an internal matter of that party. “One cannot even think that the government will fall due to the dispute of Janamat,” he said. He claimed that if necessary, they are also ready to move forward legally.