Five district BJP presidents during a press conference in Kohima on May 5. (Morung Photo)
Says, still stand by removal of present state BJP president
Our Correspondent
Kohima | May 5
In the midst of the ongoing internal crisis within BJP party in Nagaland, six district BJP presidents of Nagaland today wrote to National BJP president JP Nadda and pleaded him for relieving them from their responsibilities as district presidents with immediate effect.
This was communicated to the media persons here today during a press conference.
The six district presidents included Nucutso Ruho, President BJP Phek District, Yanthungo Kikon, President BJP Wokha District, Tingsangai John Panmei, President BJP Peren District, P. Demo President, BJP Noklak District, T. Chongshen Chang, President BJP Tuensang District and Seyiekhrielie Nagi, President, BJP Kohima District.
In a letter addressed to the later, they stated “On numerous occasions we have appealed for urgent intervention into the crisis within BJP Nagaland so as to save the party from further damages under the current state president.”
The letter stated that they had appealed twice to Ram Madhav, then National General Secretary, BJP, (Incharge NE & Kashmir) on 25/06/2020 & 29/06/2020, Dilip Saikia, National General Secretary, BJP, India on 12/10/2020, to Nalin Kohli, BJP National Spokesperson & I/C Nagaland on 03/12/2020 and five times to JP Nadda on 19/07/2020, 20/08/2020, 28/08/2020, 05/09/2020 & 12/02/2021.
The six district BJP presidents stated that in their appeals, they emphasized on implementation of the 'One Man, One Post' principle in Nagaland “as our current state president is a legislator and minister with many important portfolios to look after and cannot provide time to our party Karyakartas from all levels.”
“Bogging down of functioning of our party in Nagaland due to the manipulation and undemocratic practices being resorted to by the current state president and his henchmen practically resulting in a parallel party organizational set-up,” they stated in the letter.
They also expressed apprehension “that were we to face the next Nagaland State General Elections 2023 under the current State President, our party's historical tally of 12 MLAs in the present Assembly will reduce to single-digits as the arbitrary and duplicitous functioning of our state president and his henchmen has damaged the good image of our party in the state.”
That the issues raised by us were legitimate stands vindicated to a degree by the November 3, 2020 bye-election results of 60 Pungro A/C where our party candidate lost by a huge margin managing just a distant third to Independent candidates, they stated.
They appealed the National BJP president “to kindly relieve us of our responsibilities as District Presidents with immediate effect.”
At the same time we appeal your esteemed authority to let us remain as active members and loyal Karyakartas of our glorious party, they added.
Also highlighting their earlier demands, they said that they are still stand by removal of the present state BJP president.
Yanthungo Kikon said that P Demo is with them but could not turn up for press conference today.
Kikon told the media persons that they were duly elected BJP district presidents. He said the Phek district BJP president Nucutso Ruho was first removed without given notice to him.
Despite the internal crisis within the party going for a long time, no central leaders have intervene so far, Kikon said. Tingsangai John Panmei said that they will remain loyal to the party as active members.
