The seven-party alliance in Madhesh Province has agreed to elect a Janata Samajbadi Party, Nepal lawmaker to the position of speaker. The Provincial Assembly meeting on Wednesday will publish the election schedule for the post.

Lalbabu Raut, central general secretary of JSP-N, who is also a provincial lawmaker, said the party has already received agreement from the alliance to hold the speaker position. “The seven-party meeting has decided the post will go to our party,” Raut said. “Once the assembly publishes the schedule, a meeting will be held to finalise the individual candidate.”

JSP-N is expected to nominate the party chief whip Ram Ashish Yadav for the speaker post. The party will send ministers to the provincial government only after the speaker is finalised. So far, no ministers have been appointed from JSP-N in the Congress-led government under Krishna Prasad Yadav.

Congress chief whip Kuber Kanta Jha said the speaker selection process will move forward in Wednesday’s assembly meeting and is expected to conclude by Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Congress-led Madhesh provincial government expanded its Cabinet on Tuesday afternoon, appointing Rani Sharma Tiwari of the Loktantrik Samajbadi Party as minister for Education and Culture, and Jawahar Kushwaha of the Nepali Communist Party as minister for Energy, Irrigation and Water Supply.

Congress’ Jungilal Raya was assigned the role of minister for Health and Population, and Kanishk Patel took charge of Industry, Tourism and Environment. Mahesh Prasad Yadav of Janmat Party, who took the oath along with Chief Minister Yadav, was assigned the Finance Ministry. Chief Minister Yadav is scheduled to seek a vote of confidence on Friday.