‘JD(U)-mukt’: Sushil Kumar Modi on Manipur MLAs joining BJP

After Arunachal, Manipur is also ‘JD(U)-mukt’. Laluji will make Bihar also ‘JD-U-mukt’ very soon, said BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi

Ahead of the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) national executive meeting in Bihar’s Capital Patna on Saturday, the party suffered a setback with five of its six MLAs in Manipur joining the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday. Mohammad Nasir, MLA from Lilong seat, is the only MLA left in the JD-U in Manipur, but he is also tipped to join the saffron camp, according to people familiar with the matter.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar visited the JD-U headquarters in Patna on Friday to take stock of the preparations for the party’s national executive meeting. (ANI)

The merger of JD-U MLAs to the BJP came after Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar moved out of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to join the Grand Alliance (GA) in August and vowed to work for the Opposition unity across the country for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections to challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The JD-U had contested 38 seats and won six in the 60-member Manipur Assembly.According to a statement issued by the Manipur Assembly, Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh has accepted the resignation of the JD-U MLAs in accordance with the provision in the 10th Schedule of the Constitution.

Earlier in 2020, six of the seven MLAs of the JD-U legislators joined the BJP in Arunachal Pradesh. Last month, the seventh JD(U) MLA also joined the BJP.

Senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Modi was quick to take a dig at the JD-U. “Arunachal ke baad Manipur bhi JD-U mukt. Bahut jald Laluji Bihar ko bhi JD-U mukt kar denge (After Arunachal, Manipur is also JD-U free. Laluji (Rashtirya Janata Dal -RJD- leader Lalu Prasad Yadav) will make Bihar also JD-U-free very soon,” he tweeted.

JDU spokesman Neeraj Kumar hit back, saying that showed the “character of the BJP.” “It (BJP) doesn’t want any other party to grow on its own strength. We fought on our own and won. Like Arunachal, they have repeated it in Manipur. But the people of India are also watching it and the JD-U will use the people’s power to show them the mirror in 2024,” he said.

Nitish Kumar visited the JD-U headquarters in Patna on Friday to take stock of the preparations for the party’s national executive meeting, which will be attended by JD(U) office bearers from across the country and will be followed, a day later, by a meeting of the national council, the apex body of the party.

The banners put up at the JD(U) office bore slogans such as “Pradesh mein dikha, desh mein dikhega” (it has been seen in the state, now it will be seen across the country), “aagaz hua, badlaav hoga” (a beginning has been made, change will follow) making it clear that the party expects to play Nitish Kumar a “national role” after parting ways with the BJP.

(With PTI inputs)