In a jolt to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, five JD(U) members have joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Friday.
JD(U) won six seats in the last Assembly elections and only Muhammad Nasir of Lilong Assembly constituency remains in the JD(U).
K. Meghajit Singh, secretary, Manipur Legislative Assembly, said in a notification issued here Friday that the Speaker, Manipur Legislative Assembly Th Satyabrata has accepted the merger of five Members of Legislature Party of JD(U) to the Legislature Party of BJP in the Manipur Legislative Assembly under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
The five members were Khumukcham Joykisan Singh, of Thangmeiband , Ngursanglur Sanate, of Tipaimukh, Md Achab Uddin of Jiribam , Thangjam Arunkumar, of Wangkhei and L M. Khaute of Churachandpur.
The BJP, which had won 32 seats, has now 37 seats in the 60-member House.
Kumar told media persons here on Saturday that the incident of defection of JD (U) MLAs in Manipur was grossly unconstitutional and it reflected the character of BJP.
Meanwhile, the national executive meeting of JD(U) was held in Patna on Saturday while the national council meeting of the party would be held on September 4. Strategies would be finalised for 2024 Lok Sabha elections during the crucial meeting of the party, convened for the first time after Chief Minister Kumar walked out from NDA to join hands with RJD to form Grand Alliance government in Bihar, infusing a new strength in opposition parties at national level to counter BJP in 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
