Morung Express News
Kohima/Dimapur | March 7
A letter surfaced on March 7 further fueling the ongoing reports of dissent in the opposition NPF camp. The handwritten letter, featuring the signatures of 18 NPF legislators, was addressed to the leader of the NPF Legislature Party TR Zeliang.
As per the date appended against the signatures, the letter was written on March 6.
Purportedly a photographic image of a computer scanned copy, the right-hand side of the letter was out of frame.
By the look of the letter, it was a proposal for allying with the NDPP, which is in alliance with the BJP forming the ruling PDA coalition. It called for forming a “stable regional” coalition, in all likelihood, without the BJP in the picture.
TR Zeliang, when contacted for comment on the development Thursday evening, confirmed receiving the letter.
He termed it as an internal party matter, wherein 18 NPF legislators proposed the prospect of tying up with the NDPP. He said that he has not responded to the letter but added, “I have called for an open discussion tomorrow (March 8) regarding the proposal made by the 18 MLAs, who signed that letter.” Party chief Dr. Shurhozelie Liezitsu and senior party leaders have also been invited to attend, he informed.
Maintaining that no one from the party has officially approached the NDPP, he said that the proposal was forwarded to him on behalf of 25 NPF MLAs. The NPF has 26 MLAs in total, including Zeliang.
While Zeliang denied making any official overtures, other NPF sources disclosed that a few party MLAs were already making back channel negotiations before going ahead with the official proposal to Zeliang. “As far as the back channel talks are concerned, it’s unofficial,” one source said.
Some of the signatories to the letter maintained that it was a joint decision of the MLAs to make the proposal. They however admitted that the “final decision lies with the TR Zeliand and the party chief.
NDPP rejects proposed NPF overture
Meanwhile, the NDPP issued a press statement rejecting the proposed NPF overture. Terming the proposal of the NPF Legislators as “absurd and incomprehensible,” the NDPP Media & Communication Committee stated, “The NDPP puts on record that its leaders have never met with any of the leaders of the opposition NPF to discuss such matters and has never even intended nor intend to do so in the future. The NDPP respects all the pre-poll and post-poll commitments with our alliance partners and will never jeopardise the trust and confidence enjoyed between our alliance partners…”
The NPF MLAs proposal only brings to light the “desperation, mistrust and frustration” in the NPF, it said.
While stating that the NDPP was well aware of the “internal problems within the NPF party fold, it maintained that the PDA coalition is intact and “united in our commitment to the people.”
