The five Manipur MLAs who recently joined the BJP justified on September 5 that their decision of leaving the Janata Dal (United) was triggered by the breaking up of ties between the two political parties at the national level.
Four of the five MLAs who left the JD(U) to join the BJP returned to Imphal from New Delhi along with chief minister N Biren Singh.
On his arrival at Imphal airport, reporters tried to interact with the chief minister. However, he avoided the media and headed straight to his official residence.
The four MLAs, however, faced the media and said that since JD(U) is no longer a partner of the BJP-led NDA, they decided to leave the party to join the BJP.
All of them said that they were elected on the mandate of the NDA through JD(U). As the JD(U) is no longer a partner of the NDA, they have to leave the party.
“Because we are elected on the mandate of the NDA and that is why we have joined the BJP. As the JD(U) has withdrawn from the NDA we have no option,” Kh Jaykishan, the former JD(U) legislature leader in the Manipur assembly said.
To another query regarding a rumour about offering a cabinet berth to one of the five MLAs, Jaykishan said: “I don’t have any idea on the matter. We have no discussion about the matter and there is no pre-condition from our side.”
“What we are doing is right. That is why the speaker has approved.”
Speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly granted his acceptance to the “merger” of the five JD(U) legislators to the legislature party of the BJP.
MLA LM Khaute and Thangjam Arunkumar also gave the same comment regarding the reason for leaving the JD(U) and joining the BJP and added that they joined the BJP in the interest of the NDA.
