With JDU livid at 5 MLAs jumping ship; Manipur CM avers 'People like BJP in Northeast'

Even as JDU remains livid over its 5 MLAs joining BJP in Manipur, CM N Biren Singh made it clear that they had taken this decision of their accord. Speaking to the media on Sunday after meeting BJP president JP Nadda, he highlighted that multiple JDU workers had also jumped ship to BJP owing to the latter's growing popularity in the Northeast. Refuting the allegation of Nitish Kumar's party that the BJP used money power, Singh stressed that there was no pressure on the legislators to switch sides. 

Manipur CM N Biren Singh remarked, "After the BJP government was elected and after PM Modi came to power, the attraction for BJP in the northeast is increasing day by day. That's why JDU MLAs themselves came, joined and merged into BJP. We came to our national president to tell him that they have merged and expressed happiness. Nadda Ji welcomed us. I don't want to talk a lot about what is happening to JDU in Manipur. But BJP is 100 times better than the system in JDU. That's why not just the MLAs but also the party workers have joined BJP. I welcome everyone as CM and on behalf of the BJP."

"This is democracy. Everyone wants to enter a good house. On this Independence Day, you must have seen the tricolour in each house. This was not the case in Manipur earlier. Development and peace have ushered in. So, people like BJP. We didn't invite them. They joined (BJP) of their own accord," he added. 

Embarrassment for JDU in Manipur

On September 2, 5 out of 6 JDU MLAs- Khumukcham Joykisan Singh, Ngursanglur Sanate, Mohammed Achab Uddin, Thangjam Arunkumar, and LM Khaute joined BJP. As the Speaker accepted the merger of the JDU Legislative Party into the BJP, these MLAs won't face action under the anti-defection law.  Only Mohammed Nasir of JDU who was elected from the Lilong constituency did not defect. This escalated the rift between BJP and JDU, who have been at loggerheads since the return of the Mahagatbandhan government in Bihar. 

Talking to reporters a day later, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar pondered upon the "kind of politics being played in the country". Accusing the BJP of luring leaders from opposition parties to join them, he asked, "Is this constitutional"? He added, "This is the time for the Opposition parties to come together...If they come under one umbrella, then in 2024, whatever decision the citizens of the country take will be exceptionally good. Then these people will get to know".