Janakpur — Madhesh Province is set for a decisive political day today as Chief Minister Satish Kumar Singh faces a vote of confidence in the Provincial Assembly. Singh’s government has fallen into a minority after his own party, the Janamat Party, along with the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, withdrew their support.
Chief Minister Singh formally informed the Provincial Assembly on October 10 that he would seek a confidence vote, following constitutional procedures. Article 188(2) of Nepal’s Constitution mandates that if the party leading the government splits or loses coalition support, the chief minister must seek a confidence vote within 30 days.
In line with that provision, Singh will face the assembly today. When asked by about his preparation, Singh responded, “Whatever happens will happen inside the House. The result will be clear in a moment.
” Singh had announced his resignation on Facebook on September 9 during the GenZ protests but later withdrew the decision, saying he preferred to “face the parliament rather than abandon the government in difficult times.”
Loss of Support Weakens Singh’s Position
Singh’s position weakened significantly after the Janamat Party officially withdrew its support on September 16, recalling its two ministers from the cabinet. The Nepali Congress and UML soon followed suit, pulling out their backing.
In addition, Democratic Socialist Party’s Minister for Education and Culture Ranikumari Sharma resigned from the government on October 13. With major allies gone, Singh stands alone. To survive, he needs at least 54 votes in the 107-member assembly — a threshold he is now highly unlikely to meet.
Preparations for a New Government
The Madhesh Provincial Assembly consists of 107 members — 64 elected directly and 43 through proportional representation. After the suspension of two members, UML holds 23 seats, the Nepali Congress 22, and the Janamat Party 13.
Together, these three parties command a majority of 58 seats and are preparing to form a new government. Although the provincial head has yet to make an official call for government formation, the three parties have already agreed to nominate Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party leader Krishna Prasad Yadav as the next Chief Minister. Unless there is a dramatic shift in political alliances, Yadav’s path to leadership appears all but certain.
