The Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)], a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)- led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), officially withdrew its support to the BJP-led government in Manipur on Wednesday.
The lone JD(U) MLA in the state assembly, Md Abdul Nasir, will sit in the Opposition benches.
In a statement, the party’s state unit said, “It is, hereby, further reiterated that Janata Dal (United), Manipur Unit does not support the BJP-led state government in Manipur, and our lone MLA, Md Abdul Nasir, shall be treated as an opposition MLA in the House.”
The statement read, “After Janata Dal(United) became a part of the INDIA bloc (in August 2022), support to the BJP led government was withdrawn by Janata Dal(United) by informing the office of Hon’ble governor, leader of the house (Chief Minister) and Speaker. As such, seating arrangement of the lone MLA of Janata Dal(United) in Manipur, Md Abdul Nasir is made in the Opposition Bench in the last session of assembly by the Speaker.”
In August 2022, Nitish Kumar’s JDU joined the opposition INDIA bloc but later switched back to the NDA.
‘Misleading and baseless’
Responding to the development, JD(U) national spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad termed it “misleading and baseless.” He clarified that the party’s central leadership had not authorized the move and that the president of the Manipur unit, who had issued the withdrawal letter, acted unilaterally.
“This is misleading and baseless. The party has taken cognisance of this and the president of Manipur unit of the party has been relieved of his position. We have supported NDA and our support to the NDA government in Manipur will continue even in future. Manipur unit did not have any communication with the central leadership, they were not taken into confidence. He (Manipur JDU chief) had written the letter on his own. Considering this an act of indiscipline, action has been taken against him and relieved of his position. We are with the NDA and the state unit will continue to serve people of Manipur towards development of the state,” Prasad said.
In the 2022 Manipur assembly elections, the JD(U) had won six seats. However, five of its MLAs later switched allegiance to the BJP. Their disqualification under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution is still pending before the Speaker’s tribunal.
Despite the withdrawal, the BJP-led government under chief minister N Biren Singh is unlikely to face any immediate challenge to its stability, as the BJP enjoys a strong majority in the assembly.

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