JD(U) Withdraws Support To NDA In Manipur? Nitish Kumar's Party Clarifies Amid Uproar

While the development poses no threat to the NDA alliance at the centre or its government in Manipur, but the move is a strong message from the key ally ahead of the assembly elections in Bihar.

File photo of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with his deputy Samrat Choudhary.

Source : Nitish Kumar X Handle

The Janata Dal (United) on Wednesday announced withdrawing support to the N Biren Singh government in Manipur in a setback for the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the Manipur state unit of the party said. 

However, shortly after the letter, addressed to Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, led to a political uproar, Nitish Kumar's party issued a clarification saying it continues to support the N Biren Singh-led government. 

"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 JD(U) said in a statement.

JD(U) withdraws its support to BJP Government in Manipur.

"In the election to State Assembly of Manipur held in 2022, six candidates set up by JD(U) were returned. After a few months, five MLAs of JD(U) defected to BJP...After JD(U) became a part of INDIA bloc, support to the… pic.twitter.com/f9uAtQ5SUY

— ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2025

The lone JD(U) MLA in the Manipur assembly, Md Abdul Nasir, has withdrawn support to the ruling alliance and will now sit in the opposition, the state unit of JD(U) said.

However, shortly after the statement of the JD(U) state unit, the party dismissed the claims of withdrawing support as "baseless". The JD(U) also sacked its Manipur unit president, Kshetrimayum Biren Singh, for writing a letter without consulting the central leadership. 

While the development poses no threat to the NDA at the centre or its government in Manipur, but the move created ruffle in the ruling NDA camp ahead of the assembly elections in Bihar.

BJP has 37 seats in the 60 member assembly and is also supported by five MLAs of Naga People's Front and three independents. In the 2022 Manipur Assembly Elections, the JD(U) had won six seats. However, 5 of its 6 MLAs later switched allegiance to the BJP. 

In August 2022, Nitish Kumar's JD(U) had joined the opposition INDIA bloc. However, Nitish later switched sides to rejoin the NDA.