JD(U) declares support to BJP in Govt formation
Patna (Akash Rabindra Shukla): In the run-up to the formation of a new government in Manipur, JD(U) on Saturday decided to extend its support to BJP “in the interest of people of the northeast state.”
The decision was taken at the JD(U) legislature party meeting held in Patna early Saturday morning. All six newly-elected JD(U) MLAs in Manipur participated in the meeting which was held in the presence of the party’s national general secretary and its in-charge for northeast states Afaque Ahmad Khan, JD(U)’s north east executive council (NEEC) convener Senchumo NSN Lotha and the party’s national returning officer Aneel Hegde.
With this, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s party has become the BJP’s ally in two states – Bihar and Manipur and also at the Centre.
The BJP got a clear majority by winning 32 seats in the 60-member assembly in Manipur where JD(U) won six, 10 percent of the total seats.
“In the interest of the people of Manipur, JD(U) has decided to give its support to the BJP in the formation of government in Manipur,” the Bihar’s ruling party said in a written statement issued after the meeting.
All the six JD(U) MLAs of Manipur led by Khan arrived in Patna on Friday evening to meet Bihar CM and their de facto leader Nitish Kumar and the party’s national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh.
Sources in JD(U) said the party decided to extend its support to the BJP in Manipur after necessary consultation with Nitish Kumar and Lalan Singh.
The JD(U) legislature party (in Manipur) further appealed to the BJP to “honour the mandate reposed on it and fulfill the hopes and aspirations of the people of Manipur.”
The Manipur MLAs flew back to Imphal via Kolkata soon after their meeting in Patna.
Earlier on Friday, all six newly-elected JD(U) MLAs flew down to Patna from Imphal and called on Nitish Kumar at the CM residence at 1, Anney Marg here. The Bihar CM welcomed all six MLAs by offering them shawl and mementoes.
“Our newly-elected MLAs came to Patna to express their gratitude to the party’s top leaders including CM Nitish Kumar and party’s national president Lalan Singh,” Khan had told TOI on Friday.
The Manipur MLAs who met the Bihar CM were Khumukcham Joykishan Singh (Thangmeiband constituency), Thangjam Arunkumar (Wangkhei), Abdul Nasir (Lilong), Ashab Uddin (Jiribam), Ngursanglur Sanate (Tipaimukh) and Llalian Mang Khaute (Churachandpur).
Prominent JD(U) leaders who were present on the occasion at the CM residence, were the party national president Lalan Singh, its national parliamentary board chairperson Upendra Kushwaha, national general secretary and Bihar minister Sanjay Kumar Jha and party’s Bihar state president Umesh Singh Kushwaha.
On Friday night, Lalan Singh hosted a dinner party at a local hotel in honour of the visiting team of the Manipur MLAs. Speaking on the occasion, Lalan said it was a historic moment for JD(U). “I firmly believe that the newly-elected Manipur MLAs will soon become the flag-bearers of the CM Nitish Kumar’s slogan- ‘Development with Justice’ in the entire northeast region of the country. It is a matter of happiness that JD(U) has this year put a strong footprint outside Bihar.”
Lalan also said the JD(U) would soon achieve the status of a ‘national party’ under the leadership of Nitish Kumar.
