JSP row: Yadav-Bhattarai faction to form new govt with opp’n alliance in Pradesh 2

KATHMANDU: The Yadav-Bhattarai faction of Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) is making preparations to form a new government in Pradesh 2 by taking actions against the newly appointed ministers from the Thakur-Mahato group.

Sources have said the JSP has been split practically even though it is still one technically.  The Yadav-Bhattarai faction is planning to form a coalition government with the help of the opposition alliance.

On Friday, JSP Chairman Upendra Yadav had held a meeting with Nepali Congress Vice President Bimalendra Nidhi and urged him to provide the name-list for the ministers.

Leader Nidhi proposed Yadav to form the provincial government under the leadership of NC in line with the central opposition alliance, it is learnt.

Yadav had also met with NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba and talked about this issue with him.

There are 104 lawmakers in the Provincial Assembly of Pradesh 2.  Of them, Yadav-Bhattarai faction of the JSP has 32 while Thakur-Mahato group has 23 lawmakers. Similarly, UML has 21, NC has 19 and CPN (Maoist Center) has eight lawmakers. Of 21 UML lawmakers, Nepal-Khanal faction holds a majority.

The Yadav-Bhattarai is making preparations to terminate all the JSP leaders who participated in the Prime Minister KP Oli-led government.

A Central Executive Committee meeting held on May 22 under the chairmanship of Yadav had decided to take action against those who would participate in the Oli-led govt.

Those facing actions include newly appointed JSP Ministers Sharat Singh Bhandari, Anil Jha, Bimal Srivastava, Uma Shankar Agariya, Chanda Chaudhari, Iqbal Miya and State Ministers Chandra Kanta Chaudhari and Renuka Gurung.