Dimapur, July 26 (MExN): The Nagaland People’s Front is planning to spread its wings to other northeastern states, and to this end a draft amendment of the party’s constitution has been proposed for changing the nomenclature of the party from Nagaland People’s Front to Naga People’s Front. This is to facilitate Naga people living outside the states of Nagaland to join the party.
The 6th amendment of the constitution of the party, as it is called, will be discussed at an emergency meeting of the Central Executive Council at the NPF central office in Kohima on July 28. Of the many changes proposed in the 6th amendment of the NPF constitution, the most important point that will be discussed is expected to be the change of nomenclature of the party to ‘Naga People’s Front.’ The word “Nagaland” in the party’s nomenclature hinders to some extend the inclusion of Naga people who are living in states outside the boundaries of Nagaland that is Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. The current nomenclature also hints that the party is confined only to the state of Nagaland.
The final decision would be taken on the July 28 emergency meeting. Political observers are sure that the nomenclature would be changed as the NPF and also the Naga people living in states outside Nagaland have been reported to have expressed their willingness to join the NPF party. Observers also felt that it was not a question of ‘why’ or ‘how’ the nomenclature is being changed but it was simply a question of ‘when’ as voices of willingness to join the party from people living in other states, especially from Manipur, Assam and Arunachal have been heard for quite some time. Besides, voices from within the leaders of the NPF have been heard, although not officially about its ambition to spread its wings to these states, especially the Naga-inhabited areas.
“The word ‘Nagaland’ means that the party (NPF) is confined only to Nagaland…” said an NPF leader who is a former candidate from Dimapur.
The NPF’s secretary general, KG Kenye, when contacted, disclosed that the 6th amendment has been necessitated in view of the expansion of the party in Nagaland and in the northeast, to allow the electoral colleges in the states to come into the party’s fold.
He disclosed that the people in the states of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh had been requesting the NPF to open up unit offices their areas. However, he added that the change of nomenclature is just a small portion of the various issues and topics set for the 6th amendment.
Nonetheless, if the amendment is approved by the CEC then the NPF would formally become the Naga People’s Front since the CEC is empowered to accept or reject the proposal, Kenye said while adding that the final approval would be taken at the General Convention of the party which is expected to be held by the end of this year. Though he expressed that it is not sure whether the proposal to change the nomenclature would be accepted or rejected at the meeting; political observers are sure that it would be accepted that the NPF party become the Naga People’s Party.
However, Kenye reminded that the change in nomenclature does not means “a change of the Party”, but just a change of the word Nagaland from the nomenclature.
On being queried about the importance of the July 28 CEC meeting given the fact that an ‘emergency’ meeting has been called, Kenye however downplayed it and said that the meeting is called emergency since for such meeting a thirty day notice is usually given before it is convened and if it falls short of the thirty days notice, then it becomes ‘emergency’. In this case, a stipulated 30 days notice was not given for the meeting he said.
The emergency CEC, which has been convened by the NPF president, Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu, will also be addressed by state Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio. The introduction of 6th Amendment Draft of NPF Constitution discussion and approval would be presented by the NPF secretary general, KG Kenye. NPF president Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu has requested all CEC to make it convenient to attend the meeting without fail.
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