Defection hits poll-bound Nagaland
Seasoned politician Imkong L Imchen, MLA from 28 Koridang A/C resigned as MLA of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) less than a year after joining it.
Imchen, who in an earlier interview with Mokokchung Times expressed “regret that the NDPP has nothing better to offer,” has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), an ally of the NDPP in the Nagaland Government.
Imchen, who has successively represented the Koridang Assembly constituency since 2003, said, “I have joined the BJP because I have been impressed by the performance of the party under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
Imchen was among the 21 NPF legislators who merged with the NDPP in April 2022. Imchen also tendered his resignation from the 13th Nagaland Legislative Assembly, effective forenoon of January 20, 2023. His resignation letter addressed to the Secretary of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, which is in the public domain, said that his resignation was “on personal grounds.”
Earlier in January 18, Advisor of Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), TN Mannen also tendered his resignation from the party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stating that the ruling NDPP suffers from lack of transparency and consistency in management of party affairs mainly due to arbitrary handling of the party matters by a few.
BJP in alliance with separatist political party, Therie alleges
Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) president K Therie has alleged the BJP of being “hand in glove” with “separatist political party in Nagaland.”
Citing the alleged statement made by NDPP secretary general Abu Metha during the seat sharing meeting with Union home minister Amit Shah, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sharma, Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio, State BJP president and minister Temjen Imna Along, BJP secretary (I/c Nagaland) and others on intimidation by NSCN (I-M) as proof “that they are hand in glove.”
According to Therie, Metha could have conveyed it in a better language that – “It was not intimidation but was a directive from NDPP High Command.” He claimed that the directive was perhaps to award NDPP ticket to incumbent NDPP MLA and not give the constituency to BJP.
“Since NDPP has lost its authority to protect its MLAs he was crying before UHM at least to save Pughoboto A/C. Why should a third person deny on behalf of the secretary general NDPP?” Therie added.
Therie further claimed that “Modi and Amit Shah knew well that NDPP is hand in glove with NSCN (IM)” and, therefore, Therie concluded that since BJP already knows about the connection between the NDPP and NSCN(I-M), he alleged that the “BJP is in alliance with the separatists.”
“In the eyes and mind of BJP, the aspirations of Nagaland public are not important,” Therie said.
“Disregarding public demand for implementation of agreed political solutions, they have announced elections as is desired by NDPP and NSCN (IM), blaming division of Naga insurgents. We do not know what more to talk about Nagaland. Their calculation may be that money and power can buy Nagaland voters,” Therie remarked.
Debutant RPI (A) fields Z Kasheto Yepthomi for Ghaspani II
The Republican Party of India (Ambedkar) on Sunday evening announced Z Kasheto Yepthomi as their candidate from 5 Ghaspani II A/C. The RPI (A) will be contesting the election for the first time in Nagaland. Yepthomi has also contested in the previous election from Ghaspani I A/C.
According to state party president Mughato Ayemi, RPI (A) is an ally with the central government. However, he said, the party will go solo by not disrupting the NDPP-BJP seat arrangement. He said that the party will fight against both BJP and NDPP.
The party, according to Ayemi, was launched in 2019 in Nagaland and has district in-charges across the state. The central headquarter of the party is in Chumoukedima while the Ghaspani II head office is in Medziphema.
JDU decides to go solo; leaves room for post-poll alliance
The Janata Dal (United) Nagaland through a press release while sharing its preparedness for the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly election said that the party has decided “not to have any seat-sharing alliance with any political parties but to have an open mind for post poll-alliance with any like-minded party in the formation of next government in the State”.
According to the party, this decision is to “usher in better administration and good governance so as to secure welfare-being of the State and its people”.
“With the announcement of election to the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly, the JDU Nagaland would like to convey its preparedness to contest in the ongoing electioneering process with an open mind so as to ensure free and fair election,” the party stated adding that the electorates must be given a “congenial atmosphere to choose their own representatives without coercion or use of money.”