The Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum-Nepal has decided to join the government led by CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli.

When the party indeed shares the Cabinet with the left alliance, the government will have a two-thirds majority in Parliament. The left alliance of the UML and the CPN (Maoist Centre) already commands a near two-thirds majority. The SSF-N has 16 members of parliament.

The party has scheduled a meeting for Thursday to take a final call if the ruling UML and the Maoist Centre reach a power-sharing deal with the SSF-N, said Chairman Upendra Yadav.

A meeting of the Madhes-based party on Tuesday decided to endorse the proposal to join the government after the governing alliance expressed its commitment to amending the constitution, according to SSF-N Co-chairman Rajendra Shrestha.

“But a lot of issues with the government and the ruling parties need to be addressed. If they agree to our demand for charter amendment and on power-sharing, we’ll join the government. Otherwise, it will be difficult for us,” said Yadav.

According to ruling party leaders, PM Oli has made it clear that the party could be given two ministries and one state minister’s post at the moment.

One ruling party leader said the SSF-N has demanded the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Works and the Ministry of Urban Development. But negotiations are going on, the leader said.

The party also concluded the current developments as a political success of its long struggle for amending the constitution. Deliberations will continue over the government’s policies and programmes and allocation of portfolios, said Shrestha.

The Rastriya Janata Party, Nepal, another Madhes-based party that fought the elections in alliance with the SSF-N, is also in negotiations with the PM about joining the government. If there is a deal between the ruling alliance and at least one of these regional parties, a core Madhesi party will be represented in the government, for the first time since they launched a movement in 2015 to press for inclusion of their agenda in the constitution.

Source: The Kathmandu Post