BackJD(U) on track to become national party: Lalan Singh after Manipur defections
A day after five out of six MLAs of JD(U) in Manipur defected to BJP, Lalan Singh accused the party of using money to grab and stay in power
PremiumA day after five out of six members of Janata Dal (United) defected to the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in Manipur, the party's national President Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh accused the BJP of using dirty tricks and also affirmed that the JD(U) is on track to become a national party.
The JD(U) President alleged that BJP uses "Dhan bal" (money power) to poach politicians and the happenings in Manipur are similar to what BJP has "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," said Lalan.
"Whatever tricks the BJP may play, it will not be able to stop JD(U) from becoming a national party by 2023," asserted Lalan.
The embarrassment for JD(U) is particularly stark this time as the party recently snapped ties with the BJP in Bihar and went back to the old allies. Currently, the party is holding its national executive meeting and trying to project Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for a bigger role.
"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," Lalan said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recently attacked opposition parties accusing them of protecting the corrupt. Taunting on that Lalan Singh said, "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".
The national President of the JD(U) also rejected the remarks made by Sushil Modi about the "JD(U) Mukt" Bihar after the party lost its MLAs in Arunachal and Manipur.
"Let Sushil Modi sell daydreams to his central leadership. It may help him to come out of the political wilderness," remarked Lalan.
In the Manipur assembly elections held in March, JD(U) won six out of 38 seats. On Friday, five out of six MLAs- Khumukcham Joykisan Singh, Ngursanglur Sanate, Md Achab Uddin, Thangjam Arunkumar and former DGP LM Khaute, joined the BJP.
In 2020, six out of seven JD(U) MLAs joined the BJP in Arunachal Pradesh and last week the remaining MLA also crossed over to the BJP.
With Inputs from PTI.
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