Dimapur, May 8 (EMN): There seems to be no respite in sight for the Naga People’s Front (NPF) as more party functionaries have resigned en masse over its decision to suspend and file disqualification petition against its seven sitting legislators for voting in favour of the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) candidate in the recently concluded Lok Sabha election in the state.
The office bearers of NPF party’s frontal organisations from six assembly constituencies namely Kaiwang (Vice President, Admn., 46 Mon H.Q A/C); Nyakwang Konyak (Gen. Secy. 47 Aboi A/C); L. Langphong (Gen. Secy. 48 Moka A/C); Hamnyei (Vice President, 49-Tamlu A/C; Chumuhean Chang (Gen. Secy. 53-Tuensang Sadar-I A/C); and M. Chingmak Chang (54-Tuensang Sadar-II AC) announced their resignation from the party on Wednesday in a joint statement addressed to the president of NPF..
The six NPF functionaries said that “an emergency meeting of the party leaders of all frontal organisations of area unit, town/ward/village units comprising of our representatives to central and division offices was held at our respective assembly constituencies.”
“In the meeting, the members thoroughly discussed over the present imbroglio within NPF party as how our elected members were suspended and even up to the extent of filing of disqualification petition against them. We seriously observed to find out the facts and evidences of anti party activities committed by our elected members.
“However, it was reasoned out that without proper consultation at the party grassroots levels and before declaration of the ensuing Lok Sabha election results, the NPF party high command have taken such a harsh decision against our MLAs by suspending and filing disqualification petition to the Hon’ble Speaker, Nagaland Legislative Assembly simply for declaring their moral support to other regional party candidate in the recently concluded Parliamentary election to the lone Nagaland Parliamentary Constituency amidst no NPF official candidate in the fray,” read the letter.
The six NPF functionaries also “expressed inability to digest the functioning of party high command for taking hasty decision against our elected Members when there was no evidence of their defection to other political parties.”
They also accused the party of being double standard for supporting “Congress Party in Nagaland which does not have a single MLA” and at the same time its four MLAs support BJP-led government in Manipur. They stated that the party has “lost regional characteristics and completely surrendered its principles to National political parties.”
“Under the above circumstances, the party functionaries of all frontal organisations of the above stated six assembly constituencies comprising of representatives to central and division offices felt that we can no longer to be in the party where decisions are taken by few party functionaries without considering future ramification,” read the statement, adding that they are compelled to resign en masse “from both active and primary membership of the NPF party with immediate effect.”
Several prominent members of NPF have quit the party over the last few days after the party’s leadership decided to suspend and disqualify its seven rebel NPF MLAs — EE Pangteang, Eshak Konyak, Kejong Chang, BS Nganlang, Toyang Chang, N Thongwang Konyak, and CL John – for not supporting the Congress candidate for the lone Lok Sabha seat in the state. The party has served show cause notice to more than a dozen of its functionaries for supporting NDPP candidate in the general elections held on April 11.
