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In a rare twist ahead of the Nagaland Assembly election later this month, the Janata Dal United (JD-U)’s official candidate for 5 Ghaspani-II Assembly Constituency (AC) has resigned from the party and joined the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas).
Kitoho S Rotokha, whose candidature for the JD(U) to contest from 5 Ghaspani-II AC was declared on January 29, joined LJP(RV) along with party workers on Friday evening in the presence of the party’s National Yuva President Pranab Kumar at Chekiye Village, Dimapur.
The LJP(RV) announced the same earlier in the day at Hotel Saramati, Dimapur, where Rotokha blamed the party’s “dictatorial” way of functioning for his exit, saying that the party he had served loyally with conviction and commitment has become his arch rival.
Rotokha also claimed that they fought for giving party tickets to loyal workers for various constituencies including 43 Tizit, 4 Ghaspani-I and 7 Tening but they were “ill-treated” instead.
He added that he will fight against his former party JD(U) for ‘betraying the aspiration of Nagaland people’.
Meanwhile, an update received on Friday stated that the state executive office bearers of JD(U) Nagaland led by the unit’s General Secretary Imsumongba Pongen held an emergency meeting with various wings of the party at its office in Dimapur on Thursday.
It said the house unanimously resolved to resign en masse from the party membership, both primary and active, adding that the members had lost confidence in the leadership of its president Senchumo NSN Lotha.
“The self styled governance of the party followed by the president offers no opportunity for participant input, which has created a huge communication gap among the party workers in the state, read the press release.
“Under the circumstance, the state executive followed by district and constituency party members has decided to put in our resignation en masse,” it added.
Meanwhile, the 5 Ghaspani-II AC Youth Wing of JD(U) Nagaland and the party’s state and district executives, in separate letters addressed to the president, tendered resignation from primary and active membership.