The CK Raut-led Janamat Party on Tuesday withdrew its support to the Madhesh government and recalled its two provincial ministers.

Sanjay Yadav, a provincial assembly member, said the party has informed provincial head Hari Shankar Mishra of its decision.

“We would like to inform you that the party has withdrawn its support to the government as per today’s decision of the parliamentary party meeting,” said Minister for Education and Culture Mahesh Prasad Yadav, who is also provincial assembly leader of the party, in a letter addressed to the provincial head.

Janamat’s Chandan Singh was minister for labour and transport in the Janata Samajbadi Party-led government.

Janamat Party leader Yadav said that his party was compelled to quit the government as the chief minister ran the provincial government unilaterally though it was a coalition government of six political parties.

“We attempted to carry out several works for the people but the chief minister repeatedly stopped us,” he said. “We have made several promises to the people. We decided to quit the government since those promises could not be fulfilled by staying in the government.”

The party’s decision to quit the government comes on the heels of a dispute over the foundation-laying function for a university in Saptari. Tensions between the two prominent Madhesh-based parties escalated dramatically during the foundation-laying function at the Madhesh Agriculture University in Rajbiraj on Monday.

Supporters of the Janata Samajbadi Party and the Janamat Party clashed at the function leaving several leaders and cadres injured.

The site of the new university happens to be in the electoral constituency of Raut, the chairman of the Janamat Party who defeated Yadav in the 2022 parliamentary elections.

On Monday, Chief Minister Saroj Yadav and Chairman Yadav jointly laid the foundation despite protests from the Janamat Party amid the presence of the army and police.

Despite Janamat’s withdrawal of support, the Madhesh government is still in majority with the support of Nepali Congress, Loktantrik Samajwadi Party, CPN (Maoist Centre) and CPN (Unified Socialist). The Congress has 22 seats, Janata Samajbadi 18 seats, the Loktantrik Samajwadi Party and Maoist have nine seats each while the Unified Socialist has seven seats in the 107-member provincial assembly in Madhesh.