EMN
Dimapur, January 12
The 43rd A/C Tapi NPF has expressed utter shock and surprise over suspension and expulsion notice issued to Noke Wangnao, the seniormost NPF leader and legislator, by Dr. Shurhozelie, the incumbent NPF president. “The NPF party workers condemn such arbitrary actions of the president which is dictatorial and autocratic,” 43rd A/C Tapi NPF president N. Poying and general secretary N Loipang said in a release today
Reminding Dr. Shurhozelie of his tenure in 1998 when he did not issue any party ticket resulting in the victory of Congress party unopposed, the 43rd A/C NPF said in 1999, he (Dr. Shurhozelie) resigned from the regional party and contested as Independence candidate for Lok Sabha election.
Noting that Noke is one of the pioneers and builders of the regional party in Nagaland, the 43rd A/C NPF said he is the seniormost party worker and the only surviving pioneer in the present Legislative Assembly and there is no other leader in the regional party who is more senior to Noke, not even the NPF president. “As being loyal, he has not deviated on any occasion from the principles of the cock symbol party” it stated.
Also, observing that the present political situation is only a move by a majority NPF MLAs to change the leadership of the NPF Legislature Party, 43rd A/C NPF, therefore, said there is no question of any anti-party action on the part of any of the NPF legislators who have unanimously supported the leadership of Kaito Aye. “Therefore, the suspension of the NPF MLAs including Noke is nothing but dictatorial, autocratic and arbitrary. This action of his is short-sighted and will have tremendous ramifications in the immediate and long term future of Naga politics,” it added.
The 43rd A/C NPF further said Dr. Shurhozelie needs to be reminded that the MLAs carry the mandate of the Naga people and he has no authority or morale right to suspend or expel MLAs who have been elected under the most difficult circumstances where their supporters have made tremendous sacrifices. “His desperate and personal agenda does not empower him to suspend or expel MLAs who carry the voice of the people. If he thinks that he has the authority to suspend and expel MLAs through his own whims and fancies by appending his signature on suspension and expulsion orders, then he is terribly wrong,” it said.
“He will have to carry the burden and the consequences of his own actions,” 43rd A/C NPF added.
