Our Correspondent
Kohima | August 31
Ex-minister and Naga People’s Front (NPF) CEC member Thenucho Tunyi today said political crises are not new phenomena and viewed that a cool head and tolerance are the need of the hour. “We need to remain united and focused to continue enjoying the confidence of the people and come back to power,” he said while speaking at the NPF Kohima Division annual general conference here.
Many regional parties have come and gone but “ours is the only one that has survived and still stands strong”, the former Minister stated and added “Owing to the needs of time we have had to change the nomenclature on several occasions yet our principles and objectives, our motto and the cock symbol remain the same.”
“Our regional party today known as NPF had its origin way back to October 1963 when the Democratic Party of Nagaland was formed by a group of highly respected leaders of the Naga society at that time. To name a few, A. Kevichusa (IAS Retd), the first Naga officer to be conferred IAS; Vizol Angami, popularly known as ‘A man of Peace’ during whose tenure as Chief Minister Nagaland was declared as “An Island of Peace”; Tajen Ao, the most prominent Naga Law Graduate of the time; Nsemo Ovung, a theologian and social activist,” Thenucho said.
“Our party has introduced many welfare programmes which have been replicated and practiced all over India like the VDB and the LADPs which were introduced by Vamuzo, the hardcore regionalist and former Chief Minister,” he added.
“Today, our party is the oldest recognized regional political party in India and we have a legacy to live up to. Ten out of the eleven Chief Ministers of Nagaland till date except one have been associated with our party at one time or another,” he said.
The former Minister also pointed to the ongoing political dialogue between the GOI and the Nagas and stated that if a solution is not arrived at soon, we have to go back to the people to seek a fresh mandate.
