Madhesh Chief Minister Singh to take confidence vote today

By Laxmi Chaudhary, Janakpurdham, Oct.14: Chief Minister of Madhesh Province Satish Kumar Singh is set to seek a vote of confidence in the Provincial Assembly today. The assembly meeting has been called for 1 PM for this purpose.

According to the Provincial Assembly Secretariat, the meeting has been convened under Article 188 (2) of the Constitution of Nepal and Rule 143 (4) of the Provincial Assembly Rules of Procedure, 2075, following a letter from the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers.

The latest turmoil follows Chief Minister Singh’s controversial resignation announcement through a Facebook status on September 9 during the climax of the Gen Z protests, which he later retracted.

The Madhesh Provincial Assembly currently has 105 members. The UML holds 24 seats (including one suspended), the Nepali Congress 22, the Janata Samajbadi Party 19, the Janamat Party 13, the Maoist Centre 9, the LSP 9 (one suspended), the CPN (Unified Socialist) 7, and one member each from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Nagarik Unmukti Party, and Nepal Federal Socialist Party.

To form a new government, a majority of 54 votes is required. The UML, Congress, and Janamat Party are now preparing to form a coalition, claiming the backing of 58 provincial assembly members. Other smaller parties have yet to announce whether they will join the new alliance.