Madhes Province Chief Minister (CM) and Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) leader Lal Babu Raut has claimed that party chairman Upendra Yadav has not sought his resignation.
Talking to Setopati, CM Raut said that he is in Kathmandu and Yadav has not said anything to him.
“I met with the chairman yesterday and today as well. But he has not talked about resignation. It is all only a rumor that the chairman has sought [my] resignation,” Raut said. “Maybe your source said somewhere but I have received no such instruction. It is not true at all.”
Yadav had confirmed with Setopati on Monday that he had instructed CM Raut to resign, but refused to reveal the reason for seeking Raut’s resignation.
"Let's not look for reasons now. I have asked him to resign," Yadav had said when asked if he had sought Raut’s resignation over corruption in distribution of cycles in the province as part of 'Educate Daughter, Save Daughter' program. "Let's say only as much for now."
JSP Spokesperson Manish Suman also said that the party chairman has advised CM Raut to resign from his post.
Suman told Setopati that the party has sought Raut’s resignation as he has become unpopular. He said that it is not an election stunt by the party.
Raut was appointed CM on February 14, 2018, having been elected to the provincial assembly from Parsa-1(B) on the ticket of the then Federal Socialist Forum Nepal (now JSP). He was elected CM with the support of the then Rastriya Janata Party (RJP).
The two parties unified to form JSP but the party has since split with those coming from RJP quitting to form Loktantrik Samajwadi Party.
Raut's JSP-led government is currently supported by Nepali Congress, CPN (Maoist Center) and CPN (Unified Socialist), which form the ruling coalition even at the center.
