Govt formation difficult under NC’s leadership

KATHMANDU, July 8:  The government led by the Janamat Party in Madhesh Province is likely to collapse within two days of Chief Minister (CM) Satish Kumar Singh securing a vote of confidence in the provincial assembly.

It was agreed that CM Satish Kumar Singh would induct the members of the parties of the alliance, namely Loktantrik Samajwadi Party (LSP) and Nepali Congress (NC), into the provincial government soon after securing the vote of confidence. 

There was an internal agreement to give four ministries including the finance ministry to the NC and two ministries to LSP including the home and communications ministry. However, NC and LSP decided not to join the government for the time being claiming that after receiving the vote of confidence, the CM who is from the Janamat Party, failed to implement the agreement. 

Members of the provincial assembly remarked that the Janamat Party had betrayed the NC after the NC trusted them and gave them their vote of confidence. 

After refusing to work in an alliance with the Janamat Party, the NC has decided to form an independent government under their leadership. 

In preparation for the government formation, NC leaders in the province held separate meetings on Monday morning with the parliamentary parties of the CPN-UML, JSP Nepal, and LSP. According to party sources, the parliamentary party members of the three parties suggested moving forward by forming a government under the NC’s leadership. 

NC parliamentary party leader and provincial chief  Krishna Yadav said that due to the interference of the central leadership in the distribution of ministries, the atmosphere of agreement has deteriorated. 

According to NC sources, before taking the vote of confidence, an internal agreement was made to assign four ministries handled by CPN (Maoist Center) and CPN (Unified Socialist) such as the Ministry of Finance; Ministry of  Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation; Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies; Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives to the UML and a Minister and State Minister to the LSP.

After the vote of confidence, several meetings were held from Saturday evening till Sunday evening for the allocation of ministries. NC insisted on getting the ministries as agreed earlier while the LSP was adamant on its demand for two ministries.         

After an entire day of support, NC parliamentary leader Yadav revealed that the atmosphere of the agreement was ruined because CM Singh stated that he had received instructions from above to retain the finance ministry while a written agreement was underway. 

Responding to the queries of media persons if the Nepali Congress had started the process of forming a government under its leadership, he said that everyone has agreed on his leadership and if things don’t go as planned they will initiate the formation of a new government.