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Temjen Imna Along[/caption]
Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, June 19: Nagaland’s minister for Higher and Technical Education, Temjen Imna Along was appointed as the president of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Nagaland unit on June 19. The news of the appointment of Along, initially circulated in social media platforms, was signed by the BJP national general secretary and headquarter in-charge Arun Singh.
The letter signed by Singh read: "(The) BJP National President Amit Shah has appointed Tajmen Imna Along (Sumo) [sic], Minister of Higher Education and Technical Education of Nagaland as state president of Nagaland BJP. This appointment comes into immediate effect."
Visasolie Lhoungu, who was the president of the state BJP till the appointment of Along on Tuesday, when contacted confirmed the news of appointment of the legislator as the state BJP president and told Eastern Mirror 'the change in the organisation was expected but I was not informed (about it) or expected that the change in the organisation will happen this month.'
Also confirming the news as 'supposed to be genuine', the general secretary of BJP Nagaland unit, Jaangsillung Gonmei said they have been expected the change for the last two to three months; and the ‘change in the organisation was expected to take place in the month of August’.
Remarking the expected but sudden change as 'arbitrary provision from the centre', Gonmei said although no official meeting was held with the state BJP unit ‘such things happen and have happened previously too’.
What was more confounding and disrespectful in the letter was the apparent reference to Along as 'Sumo'. Even the first name of the legislator was mentioned as 'Tajmen'. Such gaffe from a national party and to refer to its party leader by such name was in bad taste – leaving questions, especially among social media users, about the ‘intention behind such jibe’.
Meanwhile, the BJP Nagaland unit has extended congratulations to Along for being appointed as its new president. “The Party wishes him all the best in his new endeavour and hope the party will flourish in the State under his dynamic steward,” read a statement from the party’s media cell.