Govt formation in Madhes still uncertain

By Dhirendra Prasad Sah,Janakpur, Dec. 12: The political parties, which emerged as the first and second in Madhes Province, have initiated  homework to form the new government. 

With no single party having a majority to form the government in the province, it is still not sure as to which parties will form the government in the province.

In terms of seats won in the Provincial Assembly, the CPN (UML) has become the largest party and the Nepali Congress the second largest. 

However, in terms of the alliance, the parties in the ruling alliance have secured the first position and the UML-Janata Samajwadi Party-Nepal (JSP-N) alliance has secured the second position. Both the alliances are trying to woo the parties outside their alliance to garner the required majority seats to form the new government.

Obviously, formation of the federal government in the centre will have an impact on the formation of the provincial government. 

Until a framework for the formation of the federal government is prepared, no process of formation of the province government in Madhes is likely to move forward.

Suman Raj Pyakurel, UML's Madhes Province co-in-charge, said discussions were underway with other parties to form the government under the UML’s leadership.

Stating that their alliance does not have a majority, Pyakurel said discussions were underway with JSP-N, Janamat Party and other parties to form the government. 

However, he said, the way in which the federal government would be formed would also guide the formation of the  province government.

Similarly, Krishna Prasad Yadav, president of the  Nepali Congress Madhes Province, said efforts were underway to form the government under the leadership of a party of the ruling alliance. 

Discussions are underway with the parties including JSP-N and others for government formation, he said, adding that the government would be formed in the province as per the formation of the federal government. 

Nitesh Kumar Gupta, Chief of the Nepali Congress Madhes Province Information and Communication Department, said that efforts were being made to create an environment by holding discussions with the parties in the ruling alliance and others as to how the government could be formed and under whose leadership.

The CPN-UML and Nepali Congress, the first and second largest parties in Madhes Province, have not been able to get a simple majority despite forming separate alliances in the elections. The UML-JSP-N alliance and the ruling alliance contested the elections across Madhes. 

Now, there is no option but to seek help of the parties within and outside the coalition to form a majority government. Another option is the possibility of forming a joint government of the two alliances, said Gupta.

Madhes Province has 107 assembly members, including 64 elected under the first-past-the-post (FPTP) category and 43  elected under proportional representation (PR) system. 

At least, support of 54 assembly members is needed to form a majority government, and to meet this requirement, support of the parties outside the coalition is mandatory.