Ownership claim over NPF party threatens to turns ugly

Our Correspondent Kohima, August 12 (EMN): The NPF youth wing of 10th Northern Angami-1 assembly constituency has served an ultimatum to the recently inaugurated NPF office housed at Hotel Legacy, Bayavü Hill, with the demand to close it down, and remove all NPF flags on or before August 13 next. Provoked by what it termed as an “illegal office” set up by the NPF party inside their “jurisdiction”, around 200 NPF youth members of 10th NA (1) A/c on Saturday headed to Hotel Legacy and submitted an ultimatum, demanding the closure of the “illegal NPF office” latest by August 13. “It has come to our notice that an office said to be NPF office has been inaugurated at Hotel Legacy, Bayavü Hill, Kohima, which was unauthorised and illegal by the so-called interim president Neiphiu Rio on August 10, which falls under the jurisdiction of 10th Northern Angami-1 A/c,” said the ultimatum submitted by NPF youth wing of Dr Shürhozelie's group. “Failure to comply with the ultimatum will invite repercussion of extreme degree and for which Neiphiu Rio will be held solely responsible,” said the ultimatum signed by the youth wing president Vilielhou Suokhrie and vice president Pfülikhrie Keretsü. They also claimed that the NPF had only one president, Dr Shürhozelie Liezietsu, who was ‘duly elected in the general convention on November 26, 2014’, adding that the same was reaffirmed on April 30, 2016. “There is no other president, interim or otherwise,” it stated. The youth wing body stated that another office was not needed at the moment as the NPF has its legitimate and functional headquarters in the state capital, located below Hotel Japfü Ashok at Sokriezie, adding that “there is no other authorised NPF office at Kohima except division and A/C unit offices”. “The action of Neiphiu Rio and his supporters opening an illegal NPF office under our jurisdiction is a direct challenge to our authority which is highly provocative and invites direct confrontation,” the ultimatum read, and warned said office of dire consequences if it fails to comply with the ultimatum. Though there had been rumours that there was a tussle between the two parties, reliable sources denied anything of such incidents happening today at Hotel Legacy. Sources informed Eastern Mirror that the NPF youth wing members of the 10th NA (1) A/c went in huge number but returned after submitting the ultimatum. Sources further said the situation was peaceful, except that, the big attendance of NPF youth members must have alerted onlookers.

‘Ulterior motive’

In response to the ultimatum, a statement from NPF “Press and Information cell” stated that the youth wing should not put the party in peril without knowing the actual matter at hand. “It is pertinent to state that Lok Sabha member Neiphiu Rio was duly elected as interim president of NPF on 31.07.2017 by 36 NPF legislators out of 48 NPF legislators. “Accordingly on the support of majority of NPF legislator lead by the chief minister TR Zeliang, Neiphiu Rio accepted the role as interim president of the party. The premises i.e Legacy Complex situated at Bayavü Hill, lies at Kohima, the capital of Nagaland and every different party has right to establish their party office including NPF temporary office anywhere in Kohima including Bayavü Hill and accordingly, having sought permission from the land owner of the Legacy Complex, temporary office of the party was established and no one has the right to disrupt the functioning of the office which is in a private property”. Also, the NPF temporary office at Bayavü hill, Kohima was the only ‘legitimate party office’ at present as accepted by majority of the NPF legislator and party workers used for execution of party duties and for correspondences, it stated. “Hence there is no illegality in functioning the premises as temporary office of the party”. “Therefore ultimatum served is with ulterior motive to disrupt the functioning of the party office, accordingly we condemned the unwarranted actions of the youth wing of 10 NA (1) (A/c) wherein around 50 youths of the said youth wing came to the temporary office on 12.08.2017 threatening to close the office. “So at the event of any disruption and/or destructions of the temporary office, the youth wing of 10 NA (1) (A/C) will be held responsible and we will be compelled to filed for necessary action and reliefs before the appropriate authority”.