Naga People’s Front (NPF) has refuted the recent statement made by BJP’s national general secretary (I/c North East) on October 9, that the people of Nagaland had rejected the NPF in the last Assembly election.
NPF through its press bureau reminded that the NPF emerged as the single largest party in the state with 26 MLAs in the house of 60, where the party alone secured 38.8 % of the total vote share while NPF alliance partners secured more than 6%.
As such, NPF said the total percentage of vote share secured by NPF and its alliance was 44.7% in the last Assembly election. Again in the Lok Sabha by-election held in May 2018, the party secured 41.43% of the total vote share, NPF added.
NPF being the oldest political party in the Northeast undoubtedly enjoys the love and support of the citizens of Nagaland and the claim made by Madhav was based on sheer imagination and does not reflect the ground reality, the NPF stated.
The party said it was evident that Ram Madhav must have been wrongly briefed by some of his co-workers or by some other political opponents of NPF who were desperately trying hard to discredit NPF in any given opportunity.
Having survived for the past 55 years, despite severe criticism from some individuals and political adversaries, NPF said the party stood the test of time despite all odds.
It also claimed that the party has already gained the status of being the second oldest regional political party in India. This is also one of the main reasons why the national political parties as well as the newly floated political parties feel insecure to encounter the NPF, the opposition party stated.
With the objective to help resolve the protracted Naga political issue in a peaceful manner and towards this end, NPF said the party had expanded its jurisdiction to other parts of North Eastern states.
In response and in appreciation of the party’s effort, NPF said the electorates of Manipur State had consecutively elected four NPF legislators.
It further pointed that the BJP-led government in Manipur could be formed just because of the unconditional support extended by four NPF MLAs.
Although BJP had severed ties with NPF in Nagaland, NPF said as a matured political party it cannot change its stand overnight, and therefore continued to support the BJP government in Manipur. The party said that the BJP high command knows better how difficult it would be for the BJP to run the government in Manipur without NPF.
With the passage of time, NPF said the party has established itself as a platform of the downtrodden and voice of the voiceless. Therefore, just to score some political mileage, one cannot say that NPF was rejected by the people. In fact, it was totally devoid of truth and does not hold water, NPF stated.
As enshrined in the party’s constitution, NPF asserted that the party will continue to fight for the right of all weaker section of the society and above all, committed to peaceful, honourable and inclusive solution of the Naga political issue.