Madhesh chief minister faces confidence vote as three parties talk new coalition
Chief Minister Krishna Prasad Yadav must win a vote of confidence by November 15 after the CPN (UML) left his coalition, saying a 15-point understanding was not implemented.
The government of Madhesh Province, led by Chief Minister Krishna Prasad Yadav of the Nepali Congress, has lost its majority after the CPN (UML) withdrew its support, and must now win a vote of confidence in the provincial assembly. According to Setopati, the province has had five chief ministers since the first of the current term was sworn in early in 2023.
A coalition comes apart
The UML left the three-party coalition of the Nepali Congress, the UML and the Nepali Communist Party in mid-October. Ratopati dates its exit to October 16, 2026; Nagarik News and Himal Press report that support was withdrawn on October 11.
The party says the government did not act on a 15-point understanding the three partners reached on May 26, 2026. According to Setopati, the understanding covered budget allocation, development work through consumer committees, a smaller cabinet of nine members including the chief minister, the division of ministries, staff transfers and financial governance.
UML chief whip in the province Harinarayan Mahato told Setopati that the government had done none of the work the understanding called for, and UML lawmaker Rajkumar Lekhi said those leading the government had shown no seriousness about it.
Chief Minister Yadav disputes that. He told Setopati that most of the points have been implemented and the rest are in progress, and told Ratopati that some had been carried out and others were under way. Kanis Patel, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism and a leader of the Nepali Communist Party, told Setopati that work had been done on ending contracts through consumer committees in favour of open competition, and on financial governance.
Search for a new majority
According to Ratopati, Yadav must win the vote of confidence by November 15, 2026. He told the outlet he would seek it as the constitution requires and accept the result either way, and that talks with other parties were continuing. The Nepali Communist Party has not withdrawn its support for the government, Ratopati reported.
The numbers are against him. A government needs at least 54 votes in the 107-member assembly. According to Ratopati and Himal Press, the Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) holds 27 seats, the UML 23, the Nepali Congress 22, the Nepali Communist Party 15 and the Janmat Party 12, with one seat each for the Federal Socialist Party and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party.
Meanwhile the UML, the JSP and the Janmat Party have begun talks on forming a new government, Nagarik News and Himal Press reported. Janmat Party lawmaker Mahesh Prasad Yadav said there was no firm agreement yet on who would lead it, and the JSP, as the largest party in the assembly, has claimed the leadership. UML parliamentary party leader Saroj Kumar Yadav said the talks would be brought to a conclusion after the festival season.