Jolt to NDA ahead of upcoming Bihar polls? Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) withdraws support in Manipur 

The JD(U) state unit in Manipur has withdrawn support to the BJP-led Biren Singh government and the party has informed its decision to governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla. The lone JDU MLA in the state, Md Abdul Nasir, will sit in the opposition benches, the party said on January 22. 

The withdrawal, however, will not have any impact on the Biren Singh government as the BJP has 37 seats in the 60-member assembly and is also supported by five MLAs of Naga People's Front and three independents. 

The move assumes significance ahead of the upcoming Bihar assembly elections scheduled to be held later this year. 

While what led Nitish Kumar to take the decision to withdraw JDU support from the BJP-led government has not been declared, a formal announcement is likely in next few hours. 

JD(U) won six seats in the 2022 Assembly election in Manipur, but months after the polls, five MLAs switched to BJP, consolidating the ruling party's numbers. BJP currently has 37 legislators in the 60-member Assembly. It is backed by five MLAs of the Naga People's Front and three Independents, giving it a comfortable majority. 

In November 2024, Conrad Sangma's National People’s Party (NPP) had withdrawn its support from the BJP-led government in Manipur amid continued ethnic violence between Kukis and Meiteis in the state.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 August 2023, another ally of the BJP — the Kuki People's Alliance — withdrew from the NDA, citing the ethnic violence in the state.

Nitish Kumar-led JD(U), which secured 12 seats in this year's general election, is a crucial ally that helped BJP cross the majority threshold after its seat count declined. The BJP and JD(U) also maintain an alliance in Bihar, where Assembly elections are scheduled for this year. JD(U) president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, known for his shifting political alliances, rejoined the NDA last year after playing a prominent role in the INDIA Opposition bloc.