NPP rejects merger claim, calls move ‘poaching’ of five MLAs

DIMAPUR, OCT 2 (NPN): National People’s Party (NPP) has rejected the formal merger of five of its MLAs with the Naga Peoples Front (NPF), describing it as “poaching” rather than a merger and saying it would pursue legal remedies against the move.
In a press release, NPP national vice president Vevoyi D Vadeo said a merger required a decision by two political parties, whereas the five legislators had been elected on NPP tickets with the support of NPP workers and voters.
He maintained that the mandate given by voters in the 2023 assembly election remained with the NPP and did not shift to the NPF simply because the elected members had changed parties. Vadeo questioned the need for NPF to induct five more MLAs when it already had a majority in the 60-member assembly, which he said had effectively become an opposition-less house.
He said the assembly had initially been accepted as opposition-less in the context of the Naga political issue so that it could speak collectively, but alleged that the arrangement was now being used to facilitate defections.
NPP also pointed out that BJP, LJP (Ram Vilas), JD(U) and Independent members remained under their respective party labels, while accusing the NPF of having first absorbed NDPP legislators and now five NPP MLAs. Vadeo said NPP did not accept assurances that BJP-NPF alliance remained intact, warning that the movement of legislators between alliance partners raised questions about the security of other parties in the coalition.
Referring to Association for Democratic Reforms data, he said a September report had identified Nagaland as having the highest number of sitting legislators changing parties among the states covered and NPF as the biggest gainer nationally, with much of the figure attributed to the 2025 NDPP-NPF merger.
He said the increase in NPF’s numbers did not address questions of governance, the Naga political issue or the government’s record, adding that “headcount is not performance”.
Vadeo maintained that five MLAs had been elected as NPP representatives and would have to answer to the voters who elected them.
He said NPP was examining the October 1 notification declaring the merger and would pursue remedies available under the Constitution, the Tenth Schedule and applicable law.