Nepal’s Madhesh boils over political power shift

Nov 10, 2025

The Office of the Chief Minister has been vandalised in Janakpur, Nepal, following political upheaval in the southern plains of Nepal. Tensions started to flare in the Madhesh province bordering India after the appointment of UML parliamentary party leader Saroj Yadav as the Chief Minister. The provincial assembly members, along with several individuals, entered the Chief Minister's chamber and vandalised furniture and property. They also threw away the national flag displayed in the office. The incident occurred shortly after Province Chief Sumitra Subedi Bhandari appointed Yadav as Chief Minister from a hotel in Bardibas, Mahottari, under Article 168 (3) of the Constitution, a move that has sparked widespread controversy across the province. Security has been tightened in the provincial government premises following the incident. Politics in the Madhesh province has been thrown into turmoil after Province Chief Sumitra Devi Bhandari appointed CPN-UML Parliamentary Party leader Saroj Kumar Yadav as Chief Minister early Monday morning from a hotel in Bardibas, Mahottari. Appointed as Province Chief during KP Sharma Oli's premiership, Bhandari bypassed the Nepali Congress-led alliance and swore in Yadav as Chief Minister under Article 168 (3) of the Constitution from a Bardibas hotel. In a statement posted on social media, Lingden directed all RPP members involved in the Madhesh government to withdraw immediately, warning of action if they failed to comply.