May 13th 2024.
In a surprising turn of events, Nepal's Deputy Prime Minister and prominent Madhesi leader Upendra Yadav announced his resignation on Monday, causing his party to withdraw their support from the government. This came as a major blow to the coalition government led by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda.
Sources close to Yadav revealed that he submitted his resignation to the Prime Minister early in the morning. Along with him, Minister of State for Forest and Environment Dipak Karki, also from the same party, tendered his resignation. This move by Yadav, who also holds the position of Minister for Health and Population, came just a week after his party split into two factions, with senior leader Ashok Rai forming a new party named Janata Samajwadi Party. This new party has been officially recognized by the Election Commission.
Explaining his decision, Yadav stated, "Given the current political climate, I find it difficult to continue my cooperation with the government." The Janata Samajwadi Party Nepal, which previously had 12 lawmakers in the House of Representatives, now only has five members after six lawmakers and 30 central committee members defected to the new party.
Despite this setback, the ruling coalition still holds a majority in the House of Representatives, with 77 seats from the CPN-UML, 32 from the Maoist Centre, 21 from the Rastriya Swatantra Party, seven from the newly formed Janata Samajbadi Party, and 10 seats from the CPN-Unified Socialist. However, the coalition needs at least 138 seats in the 275-member House to maintain a majority.
According to Sunil Manandhar, former environment minister and central committee member of the ruling CPN-Maoist Centre, the party's withdrawal from the government may not have an immediate impact, but it could have long-term consequences. There are speculations that the Opposition Nepali Congress is trying to rally support from the JSP-Nepal and CPN-US, led by former Prime Minister Madhav Nepal, to overthrow the Prachanda-led government. The Nepali Congress is currently causing disruptions in the House of Representatives, demanding the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ravi Lamichhane, who is also the president of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, over allegations of misusing cooperative funds.
If the CPN-US also withdraws its support, the Prachanda-led government may have to prove its majority in the House of Representatives. This situation has raised concerns among political observers about the stability of the government in the future.
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