The Congress party has responded to the Janata Dal (United)'s (JDU) decision to withdraw support from the BJP-led government in Manipur, terming it a significant political shift. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh took to social media to highlight the development, remarking that it signals a potential "political climate change."

In his post, Ramesh stated, "Today, JD(U) withdrew support to the BJP Govt in Manipur. Yesterday, JD(U) opposed the new UGC Rules which have been announced by the Modi Govt to control top appointments to all universities."

The withdrawal comes amid growing disagreements among NDA allies over the University Grants Commission (UGC)'s draft regulations for 2025. The proposed changes aim to strengthen the role of Governors in the appointment of Vice-Chancellors in state universities, a move that JDU has criticized as undermining the authority of elected state governments.

JDU national spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan voiced concerns, saying, "By limiting the role of elected governments in the appointment of Vice-Chancellors, the efforts of the state government in the field of education will be discouraged to a great extent."

The decision of JDU's Manipur unit to withdraw support from the BJP government has further strained relations within the NDA. The party announced that its lone MLA in the Manipur Assembly would now join the Opposition. In a letter to the Governor, JDU's Manipur chief, Kshetrimayum Biren Singh, cited the defection of five JDU MLAs to the BJP after the 2022 assembly elections and the party's recent alignment with the INDIA bloc as reasons for the move.