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Five of the JD(U)’s six MLAs in Manipur joined the BJP on Friday, weeks after the Nitish Kumar-led party parted ways with the saffron party in Bihar.
The Assembly issued an office memorandum on behalf of Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh giving the go-ahead for Khumukcham Joykishan Singh, Ngursanglur Sanate, Md Asab Uddin, Thangjam Arunkumar and LM Khoute to join the BJP.
Chief Minister and BJP leader N Biren Singh left for New Delhi late on Thursday and the five MLAs left for Bihar on Friday evening. JD(U) president Ksh Biren said the five MLAs were heading to Patna to attend the party’s national executive meeting to be held on Saturday and Sunday.
The sixth JD(U) MLA, Abdul Nasir, will also likely join the BJP, according to a source in the saffron party. The Lilong MLA is currently out of the state.
Ksh Biren said he and the five MLAs would meet the JD(U)’s national leaders separately. He also said the national leaders would decide whether the JD(U) should withdraw its support to the BJP-led coalition government in Manipur.
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The JD (U) was the third largest party in the Assembly, after the NPP (7 MLAs) and the BJP, which will now have 37 MLAs.
