Kohima, Apr 30 (PTI) A day after 21 of the 25 NPF legislators joined the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) of Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, its president Shurhozelie Liezietsu Saturday termed it as defection and not a merger.
The NPF will, however, continue to be in the United Democratic Alliance government because the lawmakers of Nagaland had come together irrespective of their affiliations to form an all party government to facilitate an early solution to the protracted Naga political issue, he said.
Regardless of the development, an early solution to the Naga issue remains the top priority for the NPF, he said.
“NPF views the 21 legislators joining NDPP as defection and not merger … The party is still strong and will revamp its activities with its four MLAs”, he told a press conference.
The news of the 21 of its legislators leaving the party to join the NDPP was not a surprise for NPF but it came earlier than expected, he said after a meeting between the party leadership and the NPF legislative party.
“Till yesterday we had 25 MLAs and 21 have gone away to NDPP. We now have four of our heroes in NPF and we are happy with them … ,” Liezietsu said on the development which took places barely a year before the state election.
NDPP spokesperson Merentoshi R Jamir had on Friday claimed that NPF legislators had merged with the party.
The party had 21 MLAs in the state Assembly which has now increased to 42. BJP has 12 MLAs and there are two Independents.
Liezietsu said, “We want to start our party (NPF) to stand on firm principles with people who understand and wish to keep intact the stature of the party. Therefore even if the number of its MLAs is reduced to four we are not discouraged”.
Party MLA Kuzholuzo Nienu has been elected as the leader of the NPF Legislature Party and Ngangshi K Ao as its chief whip in the Nagaland Assembly, Liezietsu said.
The NPF president said that the ministerial berth given to NPF legislator Y M Yollow and the chairmanship of ruling United Democratic Alliance to T R Zeliang should be given to the NPF and not to the defected legislators as they have joined the NDPP. Also as the six NPF members in the state government’s core committee on Naga Political Issue are among those who have left the party, the remaining four legislators should be included in it.
NPF secretary general Achumbemo Kikon said that as the defection of the 21 MLAs was not endorsed by the party and it was never consulted on it, the question of their merger does not arise.
Nienu said that the continuance of NPF in the government is the prerogative of Rio. “If he wants us, we are with him. If he does not then we are ready to vacate”. PTI NBS KK KK KK
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