‘Peaceful election in Nagaland will facilitate the talks,’ says BJP
New Delhi, January 29 (MExN): The BJP has reportedly suspended a senior party member who signed the Joint Declaration on their behalf. Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju and BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav had a discussion with Chief Minister TR Zeliang and NPF President Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu in Kohima on Monday. This was informed in a press release that was purportedly released by BJP Nagaland. However, BJP Nagaland denied knowledge of the press release albeit in the know of its content. The press release, the BJP Nagaland stated, was released by the central BJP. Central BJP sources confirmed the same.
“They discussed about the understanding and sharing seat between NPF and the BJP,” stated the BJP press release.
“The minister,” stated the release, probably referring to Rijiju, “also stated that holding of timely election is a constitutional process and the Union Government is bound by the constitutional provisions.”
“The Government of India attaches utmost importance to Naga issue and have full faith in the on-going talks. We believe that peaceful election in Nagaland will facilitate the talks and strengthen our commitment,” the BJP maintained.
The BJP offices also “learnt” that the two members who “represented the meeting on behalf of the BJP party convened by the Naga civil societies at Hotel Japfu had signed for ‘no election’ although they were not authorised to sign or to speak anything without the directives of the party and so they are suspended immediately from the primary and active party membership; whatever they have signed is without the directives of the central leaders and so must not be considered as authentic and from the party,” the BJP stated.
The two suspended members are Kheto Sema, State BJP’s Executive Member, and Tsasepi Sangtam, the State BJP Vice President.
Central BJP sources confirmed that being a national party, protocol needs to be followed. However, “they didn’t take prior approval from anyone before attending the meeting,” said BJP central sources.
Nagaland State BJP President, Visasolie Lhoungu, told The Morung Express, “We can suspend only after verification of what happened at the meeting. The one who signed the Joint Declaration did so without consulting the other person with him, so the other cannot be suspended as he is innocent.”
