Imphal/New Delhi: Confusion prevailed Wednesday over JD(U)’s support to the BJP-led Biren Singh government in Manipur with its state unit writing a letter to the governor, informing him of withdrawal of support and the central party leadership dismissing it, asserting the support to NDA.
In the letter to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, JD(U) state president Ksh Biren Singh “reiterates non-support” to the BJP-led government in Manipur. Shortly after Singh’s letter, the JD(U) central leadership sacked him, in a bid to quell growing speculation about the party’s ties with the BJP.
Party’s national spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan said Singh’s removal was due to indiscipline and asserted that the party would continue to support the BJP-led government in the northeastern state.
Ranjan affirmed that the JD(U) remains committed to supporting the BJP-led NDA, not just in Manipur but across the country.
In his letter, the Manipur unit chief also said the lone JD(U) MLA, Md Abdul Nasir, will sit in the opposition benches.
Repeated efforts to contact Nasir did not fructify.
The withdrawal, however, will not have any impact on the Biren Singh government as the BJP has 37 seats in the 60-member assembly and is also supported by five MLAs of the Naga People’s Front and three independents.
In the letter to Bhalla, Ksh Biren Singh said, “In the election to state assembly of Manipur held in February/ March 2022, six candidates set up by JD (U) were returned. After a few months, five MLAs of JD (U) defected to BJP. Trial under tenth schedule of India of the five MLAs is pending before the Speaker’s Tribunal.”
“After JD (U) became part of India Bloc, support to the BJP led government was withdrawn by JD (U)…as such, seating arrangement of the lone MLA of JD (U) in Manipur Md Abdul Nasir is made in the opposition bench in the last session of the Assembly by the Speaker”, it said.
“JD(U) further reiterated that it does not support the BJP-led government in Manipur and that the lone MLA shall be treated as an opposition MLA in the House” it added.
Clarifying the party’s stand, JD(U) secretary general Maisnam Dorendro Singh claimed that the letter sent by Ksh Biren Singh to the new governor was to reiterate the party’s earlier position, and there is no mention of any fresh withdrawal from the BJP-led government in the state.
“With the coming of the new governor, JD(U) Manipur state unit just wanted to reiterate the position of the party. In the letter, there is no mention of any fresh withdrawal of support (to the BJP govt). It has been widely misunderstood,” he stated.
Asked about the sacking of Ksh Biren Singh, Dorendro Singh said, “We have heard of it from different quarters and many have called to ask about it. However, we are yet to receive any official information.”
PTI
