Spokesperson of NPF legislature party (Kaito group) Imkong L. Imchen has reiterated, that demand for change of leadership was “imminent” from the day T.R. Zeliang constituted the government when he consistently failed to heed to “several suggestion and advises” rendered by G.Kaito Aye and Noke Wangnao to “strengthen his ministry and administration”.
After waiting for seven (7)months, and seeing the “imminent destruction of the party and government”, he said Neiphiu Rio also offered “wisdom-laden advices” to T.R.Zeliang and Dr. Shürhozelie but all these fell on deaf ears. Imchen said the present crisis was not based on any “selfish interest nor any ill-motive but an honest attempt towards building a stronger party and a stable government.” He said majority of NPF legislators were grateful to Lok Sabha MP Neiphiu Rio and Rajya Sabha MP Khekiho Zhimomi for “voluntarily rendering support to the majority legislator group” led by Kaito which he said was for the lager interest of the Naga people.
Imchen dismissed criticisms against Rio as signs of frustrated and defeatist minds and lauded Rio for his “positive side of the potentialities and unparalleled leadership quality”. There is no member of DAN in the present house, who had not sought support or help from Rio at some point of their political career, Imchen said.
He hoped Rio would take such “unhealthy criticism sportingly and continue to serve our people as good as he has been trying for the last few decades”.
Through another statement, Imchen accused chief minister T.R. Zeliang and “former president of NPF” Dr. Shürhozelie of forcefully holding MLAs “under captive confinement” at the latter’s hotel in Kohima. He accused Zeliang-Shurhozelie group of “totally depending on spreading lies and false propaganda against the majority side” after losing all hope of getting majority. Imchen said even the state BJP had on two occasions, clarified on the “false information” made by the “so-called spokesperson Yitachu and minority chief minister”
On the allegations that NPF (Kaito) “are wooing the Congress”, he said instead Zeliang and Dr. Shürhozelie were wooing Congress with offers and commitments. He pointed out that at a meeting of NPF at its central office, Dr. Shürhozelie claimed that Congress had assured of support in a floor test. He hoped that on this, Dr. Shürhozelie will not deny what he had told his party members. Imchen said because Dr. Shürhozelie was certain about Congress support, that the plan for demanding a special session of the assembly was exposed. He also attacked T.R. Zeliang of failure on all fronts and negating all the “good works”done during the past 11 years within seven months.
He also asked Dr. Shürhozelie not to speak of support from BJP as he was responsible for disqualification of three BJP legislators and that his doublespeak would not convince leaders running the country.
Imchen also accused Dr. Shürhozelie of deeply dividing the party and damaging its reputation at the fag end of his political career. He asked when Dr. Shürhozelie expressed pain at allegations against him, why was be not pained by “the bleeding of his party?” He also asked, was he not also pained to disqualify and expel nine MLAs and not pained to see the party crisis due to his refusal to accept and respect majority view?Imchen informed public that NPF (Noke-Kaito) has clear majority within NPF and DAN and the “false propaganda” by Dr. Shürhozelie and T.R.Zeliang cannot change the future. He advised the duo to stop horse trading and negative strategies of kidnapping, intimidation and issuing threats to elected members. He demanded that both step down “gracefully before they do any more damage to Naga society”.
Friday, February 20, 2026