Nitish Kumar's JDU withdraws support from BJP-led government in Manipur

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ally Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal United (JDU) has withdrawn its support to the Manipur government, in what could spell as a shock to the saffron party. Janata Dal United has only one MLA, Mohd Abdul Nasir, in the Manipur Assembly. The JD(U) initially had six MLAs in the Manipur Assembly, but in September 2022, five of them merged with the ruling party and joined the BJP.

The decision of the JD(U) to withdraw its support from the BJP government in Manipur was rallied through an official letter. JDU's Manipur president Kshetrimayum Biren Singh announced that the party no longer supports the BJP-led state government in Manipur.

The withdrawal announcement letter read: “It is, hereby, further reiterated that 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.”

Update: Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) has denied snapping ties with the BJP, saying the state unit chief, Kshetrimayum Biren Singh has been relieved of his position as he “wrote the letter on his own”. JD(U) national spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad said the Manipur unit did not have any communication with the central leadership.

Does JDU withdrawal affect the BJP government in Manipur?

The exit of Janata Dal United from the BJP-led Manipur government will not affect the hold of saffron party as it holds an absolute majority in the state.

JD(U) has only MLA in the Manipur Assembly. Mohd Abdul Nasir from Lilong constituency.

When NPP and KPA withdrew support from Manipur government

In November 2024, Conrad Sangma's National People's Party (NPP) had withdrawn its support from the BJP-led government in Manipur amid continued ethnic violence between Kukis and Meiteis in the state.

In a letter addressed to JP Nadda, Conrad Sangma wrote, “We strongly feel that the Manipur State Government under the leadership of Shri Biren Singh has completely failed to resolve the crisis and restore normalcy."

“Keeping the current situation in mind, the National People's Party has decided to withdraw its support to the Biren Singh led Government in the State of Manipur, with immediate effect,” the NPP chief further said.

In August 2023, another ally of the BJP — the Kuki People's Alliance — withdrew from the NDA, citing the ethnic violence in the state.

In a letter to Governor Anusuiya Uikey, KPA president Tongmang Haokip informed that his party has decided to snap ties with the Biren Singh government in Manipur.