In a surprising political move, the Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) [JDU] in Manipur announced that it has withdrawn support from the BJP-led government in Manipur, headed by Chief Minister N Biren Singh. However, moments later, JDU national spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad said the Manipur president of the party has been removed and JDU will continue to be an ally of the BJP in Manipur.
While the development does not impact the BJP’s comfortable majority in the 60-member Manipur Assembly, it sent a strong political signal, especially given JDU’s alliance with the BJP at the Centre and in Bihar.
Background of the JDU Withdrawal
The decision to withdraw support follows a series of political maneuvers that began with the 2022 Manipur Assembly elections, where JDU secured six seats. However, five of the six MLAs defected to the BJP shortly after the elections, bolstering the BJP’s numbers in the state. The defections are currently under trial under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, commonly referred to as the anti-defection law.
JDU’s Manipur unit president, Ksh Biren Singh, formally communicated the decision to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, stating that the party no longer supports the BJP government. In his letter, Singh highlighted that JDU’s lone remaining MLA, Md. Abdul Nasir, has already been seated with the Opposition in the Assembly’s last session.
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“In the election to the State Assembly of Manipur held in February/March 2022, six candidates set up by Janata Dal (United) were returned. After a few months, five MLAs defected to BJP. Trial under Tenth Schedule of the Constitution of India of the five MLAs is pending before the Speaker’s Tribunal. After Janata Dal (United) became a part of the INDIA bloc, support to the BJP-led government was withdrawn by Janata Dal (United) by informing the office of Hon’ble Governor, Leader of the House (Chief Minister), and Speaker,” the letter read.
The communication reiterated that Md. Abdul Nasir should be recognized as an Opposition MLA in the House.
This withdrawal comes months after another BJP ally, the Conrad Sangma-led National People’s Party (NPP) in Meghalaya, also pulled its support from the Manipur government. Despite these developments, the BJP retains a majority in the Assembly with 37 legislators, backed by five MLAs from the Naga People’s Front and three Independents.
JDU’s National Strategy
The move is part of JDU’s shifting political alignments under Nitish Kumar. Known for his frequent changes in alliances, Kumar rejoined the NDA last year after briefly being a key player in the INDIA Opposition bloc. JDU’s support was crucial in helping the BJP secure a majority in the 2024 general elections, where the party won 12 seats.
As Bihar approaches its Assembly elections, the relationship between the BJP and JDU remains in focus. This development could have broader implications for the dynamics within the alliance in the state and at the national level.