Nitish Kumar's Political Gambit: Manipur Move Raises Questions About NDA Future
In what appears to be a calculated political move, JD(U)'s presence in Manipur has become the focal point of national politics, potentially signaling larger shifts within the NDA alliance. On Wednesday evening, the JD(U) Manipur unit chief formally communicated to the Assembly speaker their withdrawal of support from Chief Minister N. Biren Singh's NDA government.
The lone JD(U) legislator, Md Abdul Nasir, while numerically insignificant for the BJP-led government's survival, has created political ripples far beyond Manipur's borders. The BJP maintains a comfortable majority with 37 MLAs in the 60-member House, supported by four Naga People's Front legislators.
The timing of this move is particularly significant, coming shortly after Nitish Kumar's vocal opposition to the draft UGC Bill 2025, which he critiques for centralizing power in Vice-Chancellor appointments. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh was quick to capitalize on this development, framing it as evidence of growing dissent within the NDA.
Behind the scenes, Bihar's political landscape has been buzzing with speculation. Several leaders have been reportedly reaching out to Kumar, urging him to rejoin the INDIA alliance. The Manipur development, while seemingly minor, appears to be a strategic move in a larger political chess game.
The JD(U)'s situation in Manipur itself has a complex history. Having won six seats in the 2022 Assembly elections, five MLAs later defected to the BJP - a matter still pending before the Speaker's Tribunal under the Tenth Schedule. State party president Kshetrimayum Biren Singh's letter to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla explicitly positions their remaining MLA in the opposition ranks.
This development follows the recent exit of the National People's Party (NPP) with its six legislators from the government. While the BJP's majority remains secure, even with seven Kuki-Zo community MLAs maintaining distance since the May 2023 ethnic conflicts, the political symbolism of JD(U)'s move transcends mere numbers.

N Biren Singh, Nitish Kumar and Narendra Modi

Lone JD(U) MLA withdraws support from Manipur NDA govt amid speculation of Kumar's political shift

JD(U)'s Manipur Move: Nitish's Signal to BJP?

Lone JD(U) MLA withdraws support from Manipur NDA govt amid speculation of Kumar's political shift

January 23, 2025 | 06:34 IST