Barely three weeks ahead of the Assembly polls, internal crisis within the State JD(U) has placed the party in an embarrassing situation in which the party high command expelled its State general secretary Kitoho S. Rotokha but the latter claimed he had resigned earlier along with the party’s camping director, three state secretaries, Kohima district president, state youth president and others on February 3.
Rotokha, had been given the JD(U) ticket to contest from Ghaspani-II in the presence of JD(U) national leaders, joined Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) along with his supporters.
Explaining the crisis to media at Hotel Saramati on Friday, former JD(U) state secretary Obed Sumi said that the decision to resign from both primary and active membership of the party was unanimously taken at an emergency meeting held on February 2, headed by general secretary, JDU, Imsumongba Pongen.
He said they had lost confidence in the leadership of its president NSN Lotha.
Rotokha, who was also present, said he was saddened to leave the party which he had been loyally associated and served with dedication.
Rotokha said he resigned owing to the “dictatorial style” of the party and non-transparent functioning of the party by state unit president, NSN Lotha.
He however said he bore no ill feeling or grudges against any individual.
Central JD(U) rubbishes claims
However, drawing attention on Rotokha’s expulsion from the party, JD(U)national general secretary & MLC Bihar, Afaque Ahmad Khan, said that the party would initiate appropriate legal action against Rotokha for tarnishing the good image of the JDU in Nagaland.
Afaque said the party leaders expressed concern over meeting resolutions of some “so-called” JDU state office bearers “circulating unauthorized meeting minuteson social media besides conducting unauthorized press conference by claiming to have resigned en-mass from JDU and throwing false allegation against State JDU president(NSN Lotha).
He said the meetings were neither authorized nor headed by state general secretary and 4 Ghaspani-I candidate, Imsumongba Pongen. Afaque maintained that Pongen was very much part of JDU Nagaland.
Afaque also said that apart from Rotokha, the other “so-called state executives”did not have the approval of JDU national office and said so their appointments were invalid and could be termed as bogus.
He also said that Senchumo NSN Lotha had the unflinching support and blessing of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and national president and MP, Rajiv Ranjan Singh. Afaque noted that the State JDU, under leadership of president Senchumo NSN Lotha, vice president, Hatpha Wangnao, general secretary Imsumongba Pongen and others were the sole guardian of JDU Nagaland and shall continue to have full support of the national office.
‘Regional autonomy’ on post-poll alliance: State JDU president Senchumo NSN Lotha has informed that party high command has granted “regional autonomy” to the State Unit to forge a post-poll alliance with any political party including NDPP and BJP as and when the need arose for the greater interest of the welfare of the people of Nagaland.
