Chorus grows for cabinet berth among NDPP and BJP fold

NDPP suspends members for acting in contravention of Party directive

With only a couple of days left before the reported swearing-in of the new government in Kohima, a chorus of demand for cabinet berths from various units of the BJP and the NDPP is audible even as the crucial question for the number of cabinet berths to be allotted to the two pre-poll alliance partners remain unanswered.

BJP leaders from the cluster of four districts – Kohima, Phek, Peren and Tseminyu – on Saturday jointly raised the demand of giving a cabinet berth to its leader Kropol Vitsu, who was the lone BJP candidate to get a ticket from the four districts.

“From the four districts, where 14 assembly constituencies lie, only one BJP ticket was offered and he won. Engineer Kropol Vitsu must get a cabinet berth with a good portfolio,” Kohima district BJP president Khrielie Usou said at a presser in Kohima on Saturday.

State executive representing the Tseminyu district, Thomas Magh also added that for a very long time, the party had been deprived of any representative in these districts, having faced many difficulties.

The Mokokchung District unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had also on Saturday demanded a ministerial berth for BJP MLA and senior politician Imkong L Imchen.

Imolemba, the president of BJP Mokokchung District had told this newspaper that Imchen was the lone candidate that was offered the BJP ticket among the 6 assembly seats that come under the purview of BJP Mokokchung unit which the party had successfully won after a hard fought campaign.

“We have given a 100% win result,” he had stated.

Imolemba said that being a 5-time MLA and a veteran politician, Imchen deserves a ministerial berth, further adding that the central leaders as well as the state leaders should by any means allocate one to him.

Meanwhile, the Mon units of the BJP and the NDPP in a joint statement addressed to the chief minister on Sunday requested three cabinet berths stating that, “the alliance party of Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of Mon District are here to stand firm and rigid… Therefore, the alliance party requests you to allot three Ministers under Mon District.”

They also mentioned the three portfolios of Home, Health and Family, and Roads and Bridges (PWD) to be allotted to them. The joint statement was signed by the president and general secretary of both parties.

Interestingly, the NDPP did not respond kindly as the two NDPP signatories in the statement were immediately put under suspension.

The suspension order issued by the party chief Chingwang Konyak stated, “Mr. Khoiwang Wangsa, President, NDPP Mon Region and Mr. M. Phongwang, General Secretary, NDPP Mon Region are hereby placed under immediate suspension from the Party for acting in contravention of Party’s directive and for indisciplinary conduct.”

The NDPP had earlier on Thursday (March 2) issued a notice stating that “All Members of the Party are directed not to participate in any manner of campaign for positions/portfolios.”

“The Prerogative of the Honourable Chief Minister should not be undermined in any manner. Any activity in contravention of this advisory will be viewed seriously and will be taken as going against the Party directive,” the party had maintained.

Mokokchung Times