JDU denies snapping ties with BJP in Manipur, unit chief ‘wrote letter on his own’

Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) has denied snapping ties with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Manipur minutes after its state unit chief shot a letter declaring withdrawal of support from the saffron party. In a clarification, JD(U) national spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad denied the reports of JD(U) withdrawing support from the BJP-led government in Manipur as “baseless and misleading” and the state unit chief, Kshetrimayum Biren Singh has been relieved of his position as he “wrote the letter on his own”.

Rajeev Ranjan Prasad said the Manipur unit did not have any communication with the central leadership of the JD(U) before shooting the letter of withdrawing support from the BJP.

JD(U) national spokesperson said, “This is misleading and baseless. The party has taken cognizance of this and the president of Manipur unit of the party has been relieved of his position.” 

“Manipur unit did not have any communication with the central leadership, they were not taken into confidence. The Manipur JDU chief had written the letter on his own. Considering this an act of indiscipline, action has been taken against him and relieved of his position,” he said.

Speaking of the JD(U) support to the BJP in Manipur, the party said it will continue to support the alliance even in future.

What did the Manipur BJP unit circular say on withdrawing support?

The announcement to withdraw support from the BJP-led N Biren Singh government was made by the unit chief in a letter. The letter read that the JD(U), Manipur unit does not support the BJP-led state government in Manipur and the lone MLA will now be treated as opposition.

In the statement from JD(U)'s Manipur Chief, Ksh. Biren Singh, the party said, “Janata Dal(United), Manipur Unit does not support the BJP-led state government in Manipur, and our lone MLA, Md. Abdul Nasir shall be treated as an opposition MLA in the House.”