DEMANDS THAT AS PER UDA PACT, IT BE GIVEN A CABINET AND UDA CHAIRMANSHIP
Attempting to maintain undeterred by the sudden move of 21 NPF legislators who joined the ruling NDPP, veteran regionalists and NPF president Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu said he was not surprised by the move, but at the same time maintained that the party stood firm on its foundation and would revamp and reactivate all activities ahead of the 2023 assembly polls.
Addressing mediapersons at his residence here Saturday, in the presence of four NPF legislators along with other senior NPF functionaries, Dr. Shürhozelie said the move was a pure case of defection and not merger as the MLAs left the party on their own.
He lauded the four MLAs– Kuzholuzo (Azo) Neinu, Dr. Ngangshi K Ao, Khriehu Liezietsu and Kezhienyi Khalo for choosing to remain loyal to the party and described them as the four “heroes”.
Dr. Shürhozelie also said that the four NPF legislators would continue to be part of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) government keeping in the interest of the Naga political issue.
Rebutting the point that the 21 NPF legislators had joined NDPP to strengthen the hands of the chief minister for the Naga political issue, Dr. Shürhozelie said it did not make any sense as the UDA opposition-less government was formed (in 2021) for the very purpose to facilitate the Naga issue.
He said since NPF continues to exist and therefore as part of the UDA government, the earlier arrangement of allotting one ministerial berth and chairmanship of UDA should be followed.
Dr. Liezietsu said the NPF will take up the matter with the chief minister.
It may be mentioned that after the formation of the all-party government (UDA), NPF legislature party leader T.R. Zeliang was made the UDA chairman and NFP legislator YM Yollow was inducted to the cabinet.
Kuzholuzo Azo Neinu also supplemented the point that since 21 NPF members have joined the NDDP, the two posts held by NPF legislators should be reverted.
Dr. Shürhozelie further said the same principle should also apply in restoring membership of NPF in the Core Committee on Naga Political Issue which had six NPF legislators. He said the current four present NPF legislators should replace the other six who joined NDPP in the Core Committee.
Azo reaffirmed that the NPF legislators will be part of the UDA government, as they had joined the opposition-less government for Naga political issue, and that as long as the issue remained, NPF will be part of UDA.
Dr. Liezietsu also termed the reason of 21 NPF MLAs joining NDPP for Naga issue was meaningless since all the legislators were part of the UDA government for that very purpose.
When asked whether the party would accept the 21 MLAs if they wished to return, he said the party would examine every individual concern.
NPF secretary general Achumbemo Kikon also supplemented Dr. Shürhozelie by saying that the 21 NPF legislators who joined NDPP was not merger but a clear case of defection, since it was done without the consent of the party and the party did not endorse it.
When asked whether such move indicated the downfall of NPF, Kikon said the party had faced the worst of times, referring to the 2017 episode when most of the MLAs left the party except few, but managed to continue.
Replying to a query on whether the party was contemplating to seek legal recourse, Kikon said NPF will take its own course of action without explaining explicitly the nature of action..
Azo elected as NPFLP leader, Ngangshi chief whip: The NPF on Saturday unanimously elected Azo Neinu as the NPF Legislature Party Leader, which was held by TR Zeliang and Dr. Ngangshi K Ao as the chief whip of the party.