After months of wrangling, the ruling coalition has finally agreed to the expansion of the Madhesh government.

A meeting of the ruling parties on Friday decided to give continuity to the leadership of Janata Samajbadi Party in the Madhesh government, said Manish Suman, the spokesperson of the party. “As per the agreement, the Nepali Congress will lead the provincial government in the second half of the five-year term.”

Provincial administrations that were thrown off balance by the break-down of the Maoist-UML alliance are yet to stabilise. It’s been around three months since the Congress joined the coalition and the UML quit the Cabinet in Kathmandu. The governments in Madhesh, Sudurpaschim, Bagmati and Lumbini are yet to be given a full shape.

The provincial level meeting of the ruling coalition partners to discuss the allocation of the ministries is scheduled for Sunday morning.

The Janata Samajbadi Party is now in charge of three ministries, the Janamat Party holds two, while the Maoist party leads one ministry in the province. As such, only four positions are vacant for appointment as ministers.

“Nepali Congress has been laying its claim to four ministries, but we are flexible and would settle for three,” said Nitesh Gupta, publicity head of the Nepali Congress’ Madhesh chapter.

The Loktantrik Samajbadi Party was also eying the position of chief minister in Madhesh, citing that other coalition partners had got their sufficient shares in the power deal. According to party leaders, they had laid claim to the chief ministerial position as the Nepali Congress and Maoist Centre are leading the governments in other provinces, while the Janata Samajbadi Party was given the Vice-President’s post and the ruling coalition supported to help Upendra Yadav win the by-election in Bara-2.

“We have laid our claims to two ministries in the province. The power sharing would be easier if the Janata Samajbadi Party sheds one ministry,” said Surendra Jha, a Loktantrik Samajbadi Party leader.

According to him, it appears a tough row to hoe at the provincial level to reach an agreement and in such a case, the key central leaders should reach a final agreement in the allocation of ministries.

Provincial leaders say the Unified Socialist will get one ministry.

In the 107-member strong Madhesh provincial assembly, the Nepali Congress has 22 seats, UML 23, Maoist Centre 8, Rastriya Prajatantra Party 1, Unified Socialist 7, Nagarik Unmukti Party 1, Janamat Party 13, Janata Samajbadi Party 16, Loktantrik Samajbadi Party 9, Independents six, and Sanghiya Samajbadi Party one seat.

Janamat Party has also been eyeing the chief ministerial position. However, of late, Madhesh has been witnessing a tussle between the Janamat Party and other Madhesh-based forces. As the Janamat Party went against the ruling coalition in the recent elections, the Madhesh-based forces have been arguing that Janamat Party should leave the provincial governments on moral grounds.

Janamat Party stepped down from the federal government on March 31 as it was miffed at having been denied a ministerial berth of its choice. The party’s minister Abdul Khan tendered his resignation after the Ministry of Industry that his party was eyeing, was given to the Congress. It fielded its own candidate Shiv Chandra Kushwaha against Upendra Yadav in the by-election in Bara-2.

The Friday’s meeting, however, decided to keep the Janamat Party’s presence in the provincial government unchanged for now.

“If the Janamat Party wants to accommodate itself in the power sharing, I think it will be given one ministry to lead,” Jha said.