Nitish Kumar's JDU dissolves Nagaland unit after it supports NDPP-BJP govt

In a major embarrassment for the Nitish Kumar led Janata Dal (United), the party dissolved its Nagaland unit on March 9, just days after the state assembly elections. The move came after the Nagaland state president of JDU announced support to the newly elected Nagaland CM without consulting the central party leadership. The party leadership called the move by its Nagaland unit a case of ‘high indiscipline and arbitrary.’

In a statement issued by the party general secretary and Bihar Legislative Council member Afaque Ahmad Khan, the JDU dissolved the Nagaland unit. “The central party comes to know that Nagaland state president of our party given letter of support to the chief minister of Nagaland without consulting the central party, its high indiscipline and arbitrary. So the party has dissolved Nagaland state committee with immediate effect (sic).”

NDPP-BJP alliance returns to power in Nagaland

The JDU won just one seat in the 60-member Nagaland Assembly. Neiphiu Rio became the chief minister for the record fifth time, becoming the longest serving chief minister of the state.

The Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party-Bharatiya Janata Party combine won a second straight term in the 60-member Assembly, winning 37 seats. While the NDPP won 25 seats, the BJP retained its 2018 tally in the state with 12 wins. The NDPP-BJP alliance in Nagaland has virtually no opposition after the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), NPP, Naga People's Front, RPI (A), LJP (Ram Vilas), and Independent MLAs announced their support to the government.

The state council of ministers has seven from the NDPP and five from the BJP.