Lumbini Province Chief Minister Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary of Nepali Congress on Thursday resigned from the position citing change in the political alliance.

The Chaudhary-led government had fallen into a minority after the formation of a new ruling coalition at the centre last month.

The chief minister announced his resignation during the provincial assembly meeting after his attempts to regain majority in the assembly failed.

Chaudhary expressed his concern about the practice of changing provincial governments with a change in the political climate at the centre. He also claimed that the provinces lacked adequate resources to function and ‘prove their worth’ and have also failed to generate revenues on their own.

He further stated that federalism in itself was at risk because of the constantly changing coalitions at the centre.

Chaudhary is the third chief minister to step down in succession.

Triggered by the March 4 political realliance in Kathmandu, the struggle to retain and change governments in the provinces has become intense in the last couple of days.

On Wednesday, Gandaki Chief Minister Surendra Raj Pandey of Nepali Congress and Karnali Chief Minister Rajkumar Sharma also put in papers due to the political changes.

Meanwhile, Sudurpaschim Province has heated up due to infighting in the Nagarik Unmukti Party—between party chair Ranjita Shrestha and her husband Reshamlal Chaudhary, the party founder.

In the meantime, the ruling coalition partners are preparing to form the provincial government under the leadership of Jokh Bahadur Mahara of the CPN (Maoist Centre). The ruling coalition partners including the CPN-UML have agreed to form the Lumbini government under the Maoist leadership.