Mumbai: It is a famous saying that the rich and powerful people have many friends, and if they do not, people get closer to them to get the benefit. In an analysis since 2014, a report published by the Association for Democratic Reform (ADR) mentioned that around 211 MLAs from different parties have jumped into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since it came into power and only 60 Member of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and Members of Parliament (MPs) have quit the BJP.
In August this year, the JD(U) allied with the RJD-led opposition, severing ties with the BJP. This is not the first time Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his party have taken such a stand. The first was in 2013, when the party exited after 17 years of collaboration with the NDA. But in 2017, Kumar ditched the so-called Grand Alliance and returned to the BJP-led NDA. As a result of the 2020 Assembly elections, the party was for the first time reduced to third place in the state, with the RJD becoming the largest and the BJP the second largest party.
Now, in only a week's time after Nitish switched his support, five MLAs from Janata Dal (United) in Manipur left the party and joined the BJP. Only one MLA, Mohammed Nasir from Lilong, remains in the party.
The BJP won 32 out of 60 seats in the Manipur State Election. The party also has support from the National People's Party (NPP). Five MLAs from Janata Dal (U) have also joined the BJP. This is seen as the result of Nitish Kumar's action to collaborate with RJD.
As per a report by Marathi newspaper Lokmat, the ADR report mentions that after gaining power in the year 2014 till 2022, 211 MLAs and MPs have left the previous political parties and entered into the BJP. The opposition parties are blaming the BJP of using the government bodies for their sole benefits as well as luring the MLAs of other parties.
Janta Dal (U) has also alleged that the BJP is targeting the former and putting all its efforts to get the MLAs included in their party. Whereas the BJP has responded to accusations that MLAs are leaving their previous parties due to mistreatment.
Congress suffers major loss:
According to statistics in the ADR report, the Congress has suffered a major loss from this as the most of MLAs and MPs have parted ways with the party from 2014. From 2014-2021, a total of 177 MLAs and MPs from Goa, Manipur, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Jharkhand have quit the party, and before the election in Uttrakhand, 20 more MLAs and MPs have left the party. Out of these, 84 of them have joined the BJP.
