NDPP rejects overture from 18 NPF MLAs

Dimapur, March 7 (EMN): The chess-board intrigue surrounding Nagaland politics witnessed yet another telling development on Thursday even as Naga People’s Front legislators—numbering no less than 18—demanded the party’s chief to reconsider its relationship with the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party on Thursday; only for the NDPP to dismiss the proposal as ‘absurd and incomprehensible.’ Around 7.30 pm on Thursday night, a handwritten letter, purportedly appended by 18 NPF legislators, began circulating in various social media platforms. Of significance was the fact that they were —according to the letter—asking the leader of NPF legislature party to “initiate necessary steps by formalising the necessary modalities with the NDPP leadership at the earliest (before upcoming Parliamentary elections).” Almost three hours later, at 9.44 pm, the NDPP issued a statement dismissing the overtures as “absurd and incomprehensible” because the party ‘was and is in a pre-poll alliance’ with the BJP “launched at Tuensang by none other than the prime minister of India Mr. Narendra Modi.” “Thereafter, like-minded parties like the JD (U), NPP and the Independent had joined the NDPP-BJP alliance immediately after the declaration of results on the 3rd of March 2018 thus making it possible to form the People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA). The NDPP remains forever grateful to its partners for making it possible to collectively work for the people of Nagaland. Therefore, for the opposition to now start talking of a ‘Regional Coalition’ holds no water, especially when they themselves had openly rejected the consultation meet of all stakeholders on the 31st of January 2019 as well as by rejecting the provisions of Article 371 (A) as was endorsed by all tribe hohos!” According to the NDPP, none of its leaders have met the NPF legislators “The NDPP respects all the pre-poll and post-poll commitments with our alliance partners and will never jeopardise the trust and confidence enjoyed between our alliance partners especially at a juncture when the PDA is in a much stronger position.” It asserted that the proposal of the NPF legislators only brings to open the fact that the opposition was battling desperation, mistrust and frustration; and that it was only a matter of time before the dam would burst. “The fact that only 18 MLAs have appended their signatures also reveals the disunity amongst the opposition legislators which was always a well-known fact right from the beginning. It is unbecoming for the oldest regional party in the Northeast to behave in such a cheap manner, especially the MLAs by resorting to create confusion amongst the masses and as well as to try and create division in the PDA. “It is however put on record that the PDA government is firmer than ever, and such cheap gimmickry employed by the opposition is not only disgusting but is also an insult to the mandate reposed on them by the electorates of their respective constituencies! The opposition NPF as a responsible party should behave in a manner befitting a political party rather than delve on rhetoric’s and false propaganda,” read the statement. It stated that the people’s mandate was with the PDA government; and the NPF should stop resorting to mischief to try and dislodge the government. “It is not too long ago where the people had witnessed the intra-party political drama played by the NPF party in the last four years of the DAN-III government and even today, it seems like the same scenario is unfurling itself before the eyes of the people. “It is amusing that such an unpredictable political party that is strife with internal problems thus incapable of providing a stable government is trying to dislodge a firm and united alliance that has the mandate of the people of Nagaland. The NDPP and PDA will not be fooled by such dramatics and are not foolish to invite members of a political party full of mistrust and confusion into its folds.” It suggested the NPF to “learn to resolve and keep its internal problems within its walls instead of involving others just because they cannot solve their problems.” According to the NDPP, the NPF has already pressed the self-destruct button “and it is only a matter of time before we see the implosion!”