Kathmandu, May 6 -- The ruling Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal split on Sunday after a majority of its lawmakers and over two dozen central committee members applied for the formation of a new party at the Election Commission.

A faction led by the party's federal council chair Ashok Rai registered the application for a new party while the party's chair Upendra Yadav, who is also a deputy prime minister and minister for health and population, is on a trip abroad. Pradip Yadav, a lawmaker of the party, said 29 central committee members along with seven lawmakers have jointly applied to form a new party.

Of the party's 12 House of Representatives members, seven-Rai, Sushila Sherstha, Pradip Yadav, Nawal Kishor Sah, Ranju Kumari Jha, Birendra ...