Nagaland’s ruling party Naga Peoples’ Front (NPF) is going to the polls with the BJP, even as the party will fight the forthcoming polls under the leadership of party president Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu and Chief Minister TR Zeliang as the party’s Chief Ministerial candidate.
A powerful Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting held at the party central headquarters at Kohima taken the decision on Tuesday even as the party has also decided to continue its alliance with the BJP for the sake of creating a congenial atmosphere for the ongoing political dialogue between the
Government of India and the NSCN (IM).
“The CEC of the NPF has taken the decision to continue the alliance with the BJP while considering the urgency to create a congenial atmosphere for the ongoing political dialogue between the Government of India and the NSCN (IM),” said SA Konyak, a member of the party’s CEC who participated in the meeting.
He said the party has also agreed in principle to the seat sharing proposal suggested by the BJP but added that the details of the seat sharing, however, has to be worked out later as per the merit in each case.
He said the CEC of the party has empowered both the party president and the Chief Minister to decide on the party ticket if the working committee differ the opinions on any candidate in a particular constituency.
“However, winability and loyalty to the party should be the main criterion for awarding the party ticket for the forthcoming polls slated for next month,” he added.
Besides, the CEC meeting has also decided to appeal to the anti-talk faction of Naga militants, NSCN (K) to listen to the voice of the people and resume the dialogue with the Centre and join the political dialogue.
While the NPF which had undergone crisis due to infighting among the rank and files of the party had been able to carry out a reconciliation process bringing together the faction led by party president Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu and the faction led by Chief Minister TR Zeliang. However, former Chief Minister and sitting Lok Sabha MP Neiphu Rio had, however, resigned from the party to join National Democratic Peoples’ Party (NDPP), a newly floated party.