BJP wary of NDPP-NPF ‘equi-closeness’

February 14, 2022 51 Views No Comment

February 14, 2022
Correspondent

After the open invitation offered by the NPF to chief minister Neiphiu Rio and the NDPP legislators for both parties to come together, the invite has become a matter of debate and discussion over the speculation of a likely merger between the two regional parties.

It may be recalled that the open invitation was made on January 31, by NPF secretary general Achumbemo Kikon who disclosed to media at Kohima that his party’s working committee had decided to extend invitation to the chief minister and all NDPP legislators to “join hands” as it was the desire of all Nagas for both parties to come together.

It may be mentioned here that newly-elected UDA chairman TR Zeliang had also told the media that his party had made an open invitation for a political merger with NDPP. However, he said NPF was awaiting a response from NDPP.

Speculations of merger between the two rose especially after T.R. Zeliang was made chairman of the UDA and the other development where chief minister Neiphiu Rio is likely to go to Manipur to campaign for the ten (10) NPF candidates.

Minister Neiba Kronu had informed the media on February 9 that the chief minister would campaign in Manipur for NPF candidates in mid-February
When Nagaland chief minister Rio campaigns for NPF in Manipur, it would certainly make the BJP which is contesting all 60 seats in the state, a rival.
The NPF in Manipur is a post-poll alliance of the BJP while in Nagaland the NPF did not continue with the alliance with the BJP in 2018 over number of seats.

The NDPP forged a pre-poll alliance with BJP in 2018 giving it 20 seats to contest of which the saffron party won 12.

Nagaland BJP leaders have apprised the party’s central leaders in Delhi about the recent open invitation given by NPF to chief minister Neiphiu Rio and NDPP legislators for both the parties to join hands.

Asked to comment about the matter, State BJP president and minister Temjen Imna Along told Nagaland Post on Sunday that this development was made known to the central leaders.

He said being a national party, the BJP does not react to any matter immediately but reaffirmed that BJP was committed to the pre-poll alliance with NDPP and would stand by it.

Since all political parties including NPF have now come under the umbrella of United Democratic Alliance (UDA) government, Imna Along said anything that takes place would happen only under the directive of BJP central leaders.

Another senior BJP leader disclosed that the central BJP leaders had asked the State unit to adopt a “wait and watch” on the issue.

The BJP leader said that the Centre was more focussed and serious on resolving the Naga political issue.

Meanwhile, when asked about the proposal, NDPP president Chingwang Konyak said no official offer had been received from the NPF for merger and therefore refused to be drawn into the matter.

He remarked that even if his party received any such invitation, the matter would have to be discussed at the appropriate levels and the party members consulted keeping in mind the pre-poll alliance agreement with BJP.

Source: https://www.nagalandpost.com/index.php/bjp-wary-of-ndpp-npf-equi-closeness/