NPF hits back at NPP, Congress; says it has neither merged nor defected to any party

Dimapur, July 26 (EMN): The Naga People’s Front (NPF) has hit back at the National People’s Party (NPP) and the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) after the two political parties criticised the former’s recent decision to support the ruling coalition government in the state.

The NPF termed the statements issued the NPP and NPCC as “self-serving” with intent to mislead the public, clarifying that the decision to support the PDA government was “an effort to demonstrate cohesiveness and present a united voice as elected representatives of the Nagas” to expedite solution to the protracted Naga political issue.

Reacting to NPP statement, the NPF clarified that its recent political move was “neither a merger nor political defection to another political party”, adding that its identity and Naga-centric ideology remain intact unlike “certain political party” whose elected representatives defect for power.

It added that the state government has been playing a facilitating role between the various negotiating entities. “To this end, the NPF is prepared to explore every possibility, including supporting the ruling dispensation in its effort to strengthen and expedite the political negotiation,” read the press communiqué.

The NPF also took a pot shot at the Congress, saying that the party had never resigned when it was in power both at the Centre and the state but asking all the present MLAs to resign in order to pave the way for solution when the party is “left without a single MLA” in the state legislative assembly. It added that all the political parties had spelled out is their manifesto to “pave the way for new arrangement as and when condition demands it”.

“As has been re-iterated time and again, the elected representatives of the NPF along with the entire MLAs are ready to resign to pave way for the smooth transition of power should political developments necessitate such an act. However, as democratically elected representatives responsible to the people, the entire MLAs cannot relinquish their position just to appease a political party that, conveniently, does not have a single elected representative in the Legislative Assembly,” it stated.

The party went on to state that it would “continue to champion the rights of the Nagas and strive to protect and promote them in every possible way” regardless of others say.