Manipur JD (U) files fresh plea for disqualification of 5 MLAs who merged with BJP

Imphal: The Manipur unit of JD(U) on Wednesday filed a fresh petition in the state assembly speaker’s tribunal seeking disqualification of five of its legislators who merged with the ruling BJP in September last year.Of the 60-seats in Manipur assembly, Nitish Kumar’s party won six in the last state polls. In a statement, the state JD(U) unit said as per the party’s decision, a fresh petition under paragraph 2(1) (a) and (2) of the 10th Schedule was filed before the speaker seeking disqualification of the five – Khumukcham Joykishan Singh, Ngursanglur Senate, Achab Uddin, Thangjam Arunkumar Singh and LM Khaute.They “defected from JD(U), Manipur and joined BJP,” the release signed by the party’s secretary general M Dorendro Singh said, while expecting that the speaker will take necessary action at the earliest in the interest of the people of Manipur.On September 2 last year, the five legislators merged with the saffron party after meeting senior BJP leaders in New Delhi. On the same day, Manipur assembly secretariat issued a “bulletin” accepting the assembly merger of the five JD (U) MLAs with the BJP under the “10th Schedule of the Constitution.” After their merger, JD (U) remained with only one MLA, Mohd Abdul Nasir, who won from the Muslim-dominated Lilong seat in Thoubal.