Four provinces—Madhesh, Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpaschim—elected new chief ministers on Wednesday.

Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) provincial assembly leader Saroj Kumar Yadav was appointed the chief minister of Madhesh while CPN-UML’s Lumbini provincial assembly leader Leela Giri was appointed Lumbini chief minister. Provincial assembly leader of CPN (Maoist Centre) Raj Kumar Sharma and UML’s leader Rajendra Singh Rawal have been appointed the chief ministers of Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces respectively.

Provincial head of Madhesh Province Harishankar Mishra on Wednesday appointed Yadav as the chief minister. Yadav staked claim to the post with the support of 63 assembly members from the UML, the Maoist Centre, Janamat Party and three independent lawmakers.

In Madhesh Province, which has 107 seats, the support of 54 assembly members is required for a majority. Yadav has the support of 23 lawmakers from the UML, 16 from JSP, 13 from Janamat Party, eight from the Maoist Centre and three independent provincial members.

Yadav, who was elected to the assembly for the second time from Bara 1 (2), is also the former Speaker of the provincial assembly. Yadav has become the second chief minister of Madhesh, JSP’s Lalbabu Raut was the first.

Lumbini Province chief Amik Sherchan appointed Giri to the post after he laid his claim to the chief ministership in the province with the support of 58 lawmakers.

Giri, who is a politburo member of UML, had earlier served as the minister for industry, tourism, forest and environment. Giri garnered support from the Maoist Centre, Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Nagarik Unmukti Party, Janata Samajbadi Party, Loktantrik Samajbadi Party, Janamat Party and three independent lawmakers.

Support from 44 members is required to form a government in the 87-strong provincial assembly.

In Lumbini, as per the power-sharing deal in the ruling coalition, UML will lead the government for a full term.

In Karnali, Province head Tilak Pariyar appointed Sharma as the new chief minister after the latter staked his claim for the post with the support of 25 assembly members.

Sharma has the support of 13 provincial assembly members of Maoist Centre, 10 members of UML and one member of CPN (Unified Socialist) and Rastriya Prajatantra Party each.

On Wednesday morning, provincial leaders of UML and Maoist Centre had decided to lead the government in Karnali on a rotational basis.

As per the new deal, CPN (Maoist Centre)’s provincial assembly leader Sharma will first lead the government for two and a half years and UML’s assembly leader Yamlal Kandel will replace him for the remaining term.

As per an agreement forged earlier in Kathmandu, the Maoist Centre was supposed to lead the provincial government for the full five-year term.

In Sudurpaschim, Province chief Dev Raj Joshi appointed UML’s provincial assembly leader Rawal as the new chief minister. Rawal laid his claim to the post with the support of 29 provincial assembly members. Rawal will take an oath of office and secrecy on Thursday.

Rawal is supported by 10 provincial assembly members of UML, 11 of Maoist Centre, seven of Nagarik Unmukti Party and one provincial assembly member of Rastriya Prajatantra Party. The UML is the third largest force in the provincial assembly.

The office of the province head had called on the assembly members to present the majority with the support of two or more parties represented in the provincial assembly to be appointed the chief minister by 5pm on Wednesday, as per Article 168 (2) of the Constitution of Nepal.

Support from 27 assembly members is needed to form the government in the province that has a 53-member assembly.

As per the power-sharing deal reached in Kathmandu, UML and Maoist Centre will lead the provincial government in Sudurpaschim on a rotational basis.

Hikmat Karki of the UML was the first chief minister to be appointed in Province-1 on Sunday.

Shyam Sundar Shashi in Janakpur, Ghanshyam Gautam in Butwal, Krishna Gautam in Birendranagar and Arjun Shah in Dhangadhi contributed reporting.