In a day of dramatic developments, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s party, the Janata Dal (United), sacked its Manipur unit chief Ksh Biren Singh after he sent a letter to the Governor announcing the party’s withdrawal of support to the BJP-led government in Manipur. The JD(U) clarified that the decision was taken without consulting the party’s central leadership and termed it an act of indiscipline.
The JD(U), which has only one MLA, Md Abdul Nasir, in the 60-member Manipur Assembly, denied snapping ties with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the state. National spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad dismissed reports of a split as “misleading and baseless,” adding that Ksh Biren Singh had been removed from his position as the party’s state president for acting unilaterally.
“The Manipur unit did not have any communication with the central leadership before issuing the letter. Considering this an act of indiscipline, action has been taken against Ksh Biren Singh, and he has been relieved of his position,” Prasad said.
The controversy began earlier in the day when Ksh Biren Singh claimed in a statement that JD(U)’s sole MLA, Md Abdul Nasir, would be considered an Opposition member in the state Assembly. He also pointed out that the trial under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution concerning the defection of five JD(U) MLAs to the BJP in 2022 is still pending before the Speaker’s tribunal. Of the six JD(U) candidates who had won the February-March 2022 Assembly elections, five defected to the BJP shortly after.
Singh’s letter to the Governor stirred speculations about the stability of the BJP-led government, which currently has 37 MLAs, along with the support of five MLAs from the Naga People’s Front and three Independents. However, JD(U) leaders in Bihar were quick to clarify that the party remains aligned with the BJP in Manipur and will continue its alliance in the future.
The JD(U) had earlier emerged as a key ally of the BJP in Bihar, helping the NDA secure the majority mark after the BJP’s own tally fell short in the 2020 Assembly elections. Nitish Kumar’s leadership has been marked by frequent shifts across the political spectrum, including a brief alliance with the Opposition bloc INDIA before rejoining the NDA in 2022.
In Manipur, the BJP’s dominance remains unshaken despite these developments. The defections of five JD(U) MLAs to the BJP in 2022 highlighted the challenges faced by smaller regional parties trying to assert themselves in states where the BJP holds significant influence.