NERPF resolves to strengthen regional parties in Northeast

Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, DECEMBER 20

TEN regional political parties under the banner of the North East Regional Parties Front (NERPF) today reiterated its October 20 resolution and resolved to frame a Common Minimum Programme (CMP) to fight the coming 2014 Lok Sabha election. The decision to this effect was taken during the first executive meeting of NERPF which held here at Niathu Resort on Friday.Addressing media persons after the marathon meeting, convenor NERPF and Nagaland chief minister, Neiphiu Rio, NERPF chief advisor and AGP president, Prafula Kumar Mahanta and co-convenor NERPF and working president AGP, Atul Bora, informed that the NERPF election committee would frame a CMP for the ensuing general election.
The leaders also informed that NERPF would form a co-ordination committee comprising members from all ten regional parties to assist each other in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls. They exuded confidence that NERPF would grow stronger and emerge victorious in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
“NERPF is not a political party but a confederation of regional parties. We are going to work together to make NE Region a regional stronghold. We have to protect the identity and uniqueness of each ethnic community in the North East,” said NERPF convenor Neiphiu Rio. Rio rued that though GOI had constituted NEC and DoNER for Northeast Region, it had fell short of people’s expectation.
On outcome of the meeting, Rio said NERPF members had very good deliberation. While acknowledging that despite each regional party having different issues, Rio said they are peoples’ issues relating to regional problems.
Rio also disclosed that NERPF delegates would go to Delhi in the early part of 2014 to brief the President of India, Prime Minister and government agencies relating to NERPF 17-point resolutions and regional issues.
Terming Assam as the “mother” of NE states with 14 Lok Sabha seats, Rio maintained that for NERPF to survive, the regional parties have to make Assam “strong” by extending support to AGP.
Meanwhile, Rio said NERPF has strongly condemned the land swap with Bangladesh, adding the Front will fight tooth and nail against giving away land to foreigners. Rio said the members have also discussed on border fencing work in Manipur wherein some portion of land has been ceded to Myanmar.
On the issue of “Naga integration” which NPF strongly advocates but is opposed by other regional parties, especially in Manipur, Rio has admitted complications involved in the process. However, he said the regional parties are coming together to reason and understand each other’s view point together.
“We are giving ourselves a chance to work together…whether we like it or not, we have to co-exist together,” Rio added.
Ten regional parties included Asom Gana Parisad (AGP), Naga People’s Front (NPF), United Democratic Party (UDP), Hill State People’s Democratic Party of Meghalaya (HSPDPM), Manipur People’s Party (MPP), Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP), Manipur Democratic People’s Front (MDPF), Mizo National Front (MNF), People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA), Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT). It also learned that Hill State Democratic Party from Karbi Anglong.