Kohima, October 16 (MExN): The Naga People’s Front (NPF) stated that it “undoubtedly enjoys the love and support of the citizens of Nagaland.” This came in the light of the recent remark made by Ram Madhav, National Gen Secy of BJP in- charge of North East in the BJP State Executive Meeting at Mokokchung on October 9 that the NPF party “has been rejected by the people.”
Reacting to the remark, the NPF stated that Madhav “must have been wrongly briefed by some of his co-workers or by some other political opponents of NPF who are desperately trying hard to discredit NPF in any given opportunity”.
In a press communiqué , the NPF stated that it secured 26 seats and 38.8 % of the total vote share and another 6% vote share was secured by its alliance and thus taking the vote share to 44.7% in the last 2018 Assembly election. Thus the claim that “that NPF has been rejected by the people is based on sheer imagination and does not reflect the ground reality” it stated.
The party has survived the last 55 years and “gained the status of being the 2nd oldest regional political party in India” which according to the NPF is one of the reasons why “the national political parties as well as the newly floated political parties feel insecure to encounter the NPF”.
The statement claimed that it has been the endeavor of the NPF to resolve the protracted Naga political issue and towards this end; the NPF has “expanded its jurisdiction to other parts of North Eastern part of India” as reflected by the election of four NPF MLAs in Manipur Assembly. The NPF reminded the BJP that the “BJP- led Government which is presently running the government in Manipur could be formed just because of the unconditional support extended by 4 (four) NPF MLAs”.
Although the BJP has severed its ties with NPF in Nagaland, “the NPF as a matured political party cannot change its stand overnight and therefore it continues to support the BJP government in Manipur” and that the BJP high command will know how “difficult it would be for the BJP to run the Government in Manipur without NPF”.
The NPF, has over time, became “a platform of the downtrodden and voice of the voiceless” and “will continue to fight for the right of all weaker section of the society." Above all, it is committed to peaceful, honourable and inclusive solution of the Naga Political issue,” it stated.
