The Janata Dal (United) has clarified its continued support for the BJP-led government in Manipur. The party dismissed recent claims of withdrawing its support as "baseless" and sacked its Manipur unit president, Kshetrimayum Biren Singh, for writing a letter that reiterated such claims without consulting the central leadership.
JD(U) national spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad addressed the media, stating that Singh’s actions were an act of indiscipline. He confirmed that the state unit did not communicate with the central leadership regarding the letter.
"The party has taken cognisance of this and the president of the Manipur unit has been relieved of his position. We have supported NDA and our support to the NDA government in Manipur will continue even in the future," Prasad said.
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He further said that the Manipur unit acted independently and had not been taken into confidence by the central leadership. "We are with the NDA and the state unit will continue to serve the people of Manipur towards the development of the state," he added.
The controversy arose after Kshetrimayum Biren Singh wrote to Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, alleging the JD(U) had reiterated its withdrawal of support to the BJP government. Singh also claimed that the party's lone MLA, Md Abdul Nasir, would sit in the Opposition benches. Singh's letter referenced the defection of five JD(U) MLAs to the BJP after the 2022 Manipur Assembly elections and the party's alignment with the INDIA bloc.
Despite the confusion, JD(U) leadership made it clear that the party's alliance with the BJP at the state, national, and Centre levels remains strong.
The BJP holds a comfortable majority in the 60-member Manipur Assembly, with 37 legislators and additional support from five Naga People's Front MLAs and three Independents.