Nadda fetes 5 JDU MLAs who merged with BJP
BJP may play tricks, JD-U on track to become national party Lalan Singh
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, September 04 2022: All the five MLAs of JD-U who merged with BJP were felicitated by BJP nation al president JP Nadda in New Delhi on Sunday morning and adorned them with party's official lotus printed stoles.

Out of six MLAs of JDU, five have merged with BJP.

The five legislators are Khumukcham Joykisan of Thangmeiband AC, Ngursanglur Sanate of 11-paimukh AC, Md Ashab Uddin of Jiribam AC, Thangjam Arunkumar of Wangkhei AC and LM Khaute of Churachandpur AC.

JDU's sixth legislator Md Abdul Nasir of Lilong AC did not join the merger.

The felicitation ceremony of the new entrants held at the party's national office was also attended by chief minister N Biren, BJP Manipur Pradesh in-charge Sambit Patra and BJP Manipur Pradesh president A Sharda Devi.

During the event, JP Nadda said that joining of five MLAs of JDU to BJP legislative party shows the ever increasing strength of BJP and advised the new entrants to work as per the party's norms and take part in the nation building process.

Meanwhile, a reliable source informed that all the five MLAs will return to Imphal along with chief minister N Biren Singh on Monday.

Mention may be made that chief minister Biren and state BJP chief Sharda had formally welcomed the five JD-U MLAs on Friday.

Party sources said that Nadda welcomed the five JD-U MLAs in a simple function at his office in the national capital.

Nadda later tweeted: "I welcome the five JDU MLAs from Manipur into the BJP family.

All of you possess qualities that will greatly benefit our party.

I am certain you will all serve the nation diligently as members of the BJP & play your role in the development of the country" .

The BJP is yet to announce whether the 5 legislators would be accommodated in any government positions.

Manipur Assembly secretary K Meghajit Singh earlier on Friday said Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh has accepted the merger of the five JD-U MLAs to the legislature party of the BJP in the Manipur Assembly under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution.

In the February-March assembly election, the JD-U had fielded 38 candidates against the BJP and won six seats in the 60-member assembly and after the announcement of the election results extended their support to the BJP government headed by Biren Singh.

With the merger of 5 JD-U MLAs, the BJP's strength has increased to 37 in the state assembly.

The Opposition Congress has criticised the decision of the JD-U MLAs to join the BJP and declared that it will move the High Court to disqualify them.

Reacting to the develop ment in Manipur, JD-U leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar slammed the BJP, saying that this is the reason why he snapped ties with the saffron party.

A day after most of its MLAs in Manipur joined the BJP, the JD (U) on Saturday lashed out at its former ally whom it accused of using "dhan bal" (money power) to poach legislators from other parties.

JD (U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh alleged that the BJP did in Manipur what it had "previously attempted in Delhi, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra".

"Our MLAs in Manipur had defeated BJP candidates at the hustings.

Ditto in Arunachal Pradesh where our MLAs were poached while we were still in NDA," fumed Lalan.

The development came as an embarrassment for the party which held its national executive meeting in Patna and trying to project Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, its de facto leader, for a bigger role.

"Whatever tricks the BJP may play, it will not be able to stop JD(U) from becoming a national party by 2023," asserted Lalan, who has been associated with Nitish Kumar for nearly four decades.

"The BJP should worry about itself.

In 2015 assembly polls, none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed 42 rallies but the party could win only 53 seats in the 243-strong Bihar Vidhan Sabha.

They should think of their fate in 2024 when the entire opposition will stand united against them," he said.

Referring to PM Modi's recent allegation that opposition parties were in a huddle to protect the corrupt, the JD(U) chief taunted "what BJP is doing to other parties is 'sadachar' but a joint fight against its brazen use of money power is 'bhrashtachar' .

The Prime Minister has redefined these terms" .

He also bristled at the remark of BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi that after Arunachal and Manipur it was Bihar's turn to become "JDU-mukt" where the party could be split by its bigger ally RJD of Lalu Prasad.

"Let Sushil Modi sell daydreams to his central leader ship.

It may help him to come out of political wilderness," remarked Lalan.

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