The JDU is taking a hit in the Northeast for parting ways with the BJP in Bihar on August 9.In less than a month of ending its alliance with the BJP in Bihar, five of the six JDU MLAs in Manipur merged with the ruling BJP on Friday evening and were welcomed to the party fold by the state BJP top brass on Saturday.

Earlier, the party lost its lone MLA — Techi Kaso — in Arunachal Pradesh to the ruling BJP on August 24.

A JDU office-bearer told The Telegraph that it was the “effect” of the smooth mahagathbandhan the party mobilised to oust the BJP from power in Bihar in August.

“This is the morality of the BJP,” he said without elaborating.The five JDU MLAs were welcomed to the BJP fold by Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh and state president A. Sharda Devi in Imphal on Saturday. Singh tweeted, “Along with State BJP President, Smt @AShardaDevi Ji, heartily welcomed the 5 JDU MLAs who got merged into BJP yesterday.

This merger shows the love and trust entrusted by people in the leadership of Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi Ji and Hon’ble BJP President Shri @JPNadda Ji.”In another tweet, Singh said, “The 5 JDU MLAs are 1) Hon’ble MLA Shri Khumukcham Joykishan Singh Ji 2) Hon’ble MLA Shri Ngursanglur Sanate Ji 3) Hon’ble MLA Shri Md. Achab Uddin Ji 4) Hon’ble MLA Shri Thangjam Arunkumar Ji 5) Hon’ble MLA Shri L. M. Khaute Ji.”

A Manipur Legislative Assembly bulletin on Friday night revealed that the Speaker accepted the merger of the five JDU MLAs with the BJP under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.However, most were expecting the desertions because the JDU was supporting the BJP-led governments in Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.The JDU was a recognised party in Manipur and Arunachal after its excellent performance in the last Assembly polls, showcasing the achievements of the incumbent Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar. Now it is staring at a situation where it could be left without an MLA in both states.

The party had won six of the 38 Assembly seats it had contested in the Manipur state polls held early this year. It is expected that the remaining MLA could also join the BJP. In 2019, the JDU had won seven seats of the 15 it had contested in the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly polls. Six of the MLAs, however, joined the party in 2020 while the remaining one switched sides on August 24.