Patna: The JDU has decided to support the BJP-backed Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party for "formation of a stable government in Nagaland".
The party won just one seat in Nagaland; G. Kaito Aye won by 2,543 votes.
The Nagaland unit of the party took the decision to back the BJP in a late-night development on Saturday. A statement to this effect, signed by the party's Nagaland unit chief Senchumo Lotha, was issued.
In the 60-seat Nagaland Assembly, the BJP-backed Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party has bagged 29 seats and the Naga People's Front another 29. Of the remaining two seats, the JDU has won Satakha - one of the 13 seats it contested.
"Both groups in Nagaland have contacted our leader and chief minister Nitish Kumar for support to form the government but so far no decision has been taken. It is up to Nitish ji to decide," principal general secretary K.C. Tyagi had earlier told The Telegraph over phone from New Delhi.
On Friday, the Naga People's Front had moved Nagaland Governor P.B. Acharya declaring it had a pre-poll agreement with the JDU and the Nationalist People's Party. The Front said if it got majority with its allies, it would form the government.
"After Nitish Kumar became the party president, this is our first victory. For the past six to seven years, the JDU was blank in Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. We will expand our base in other states," Tyagi said.
The party has been contesting in Nagaland since 2003. It was also part of the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland for the past five years. But this time the JDU decided to go alone.
Sources close to the party leadership, however, had said the party could go with mainstream NDA in the northeastern state.
National general secretary Sanjay Jha said the JDU, under Nitish's leadership, was the only party left in the country with a socialist formation. He said Nitish's predecessor Sharad Yadav had spoiled the party and could not expand its base in other states.
Spokesperson Ajay Alok, who had gone to Nagaland for campaigning, said this was the beginning and the party would soon made its mark in other states.
