NPF cries foul, demands PDA’s dismissal
Morung Express News
Mokokchung | May 18
The post elections political drama in Karnataka is resonating across the country in non-NDA constituent states. Emulating the Congress in Goa and the RJD in Bihar, the opposition NPF in Nagaland fired a salvo at the Governor PB Acharya and demanded that the ruling Progressive Democratic Alliance (PDA) government in Nagaland be dismissed and that the NPF be invited to form the government
In the midst of campaigning in Mokokchung for the May 28 bye-election to the state’s lone Lok Sabha seat vacated by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, NPF spokesperson Achumbemo Kikon at a press conference today in Mokokchung town maintained that the NPF as the single largest party be given the chance.
“PDA government should be immediately dismissed by the governor and invite the NPF (to form the new government). What is applicable in Karnataka should be applicable in Nagaland too as both states are under the same law of the union of India,” said Kikon.
Crying foul over what he termed as the NPF denied due opportunity even after they had staked claim fulfilling all criteria as per the Constitution, Kikon said that the party “in no uncertain terms” had denounced the Nagaland Governor for inviting the NDPP-BJP alliance to form the government. Kikon held that the NPF supported by its pre-poll partners NPP and JD (U) had staked claim to form the government but were denied by the Governor.
Former Chief Minister and leader of the NPF Legislature Party, TR Zeliang claimed that the governor delayed the process thereby aiding the NDPP-BJP alliance to buy time to woo the NPP, JDU and Independent legislators. Zeliang said that the NPF would hold consultative meetings on the matter after their return to Kohima.
While Kikon exuded confidence that the NPF would wrest back the lone Lok Sabha seat, Zeliang lambasted CM Neiphiu Rio. Zeliang said that Rio after having lost the confidence of the Modi government returned to the state offering 20 seats to the BJP. The NPF’s post-election bid to rope in the BJP, Zeliang said was for the sake of stability in government.
He said that the NDPP connived with BJP” instead of convincing the BJP and added the NDPP’s claim as a regional party was superficial. Further, he said that the Nagaland Legislative Assembly led by NPF passed the assembly resolution for “solution before election” for which the BJP considered NPF as anti-national.
The NPF as part of the bye-election campaign organized a rally at Longmisa village on May 17 and at Longkhum and Longjang villages today. The NPF campaign team will head to Tuensang after Mokokchung.
