Dimapur, August 7 (MTNews): The Rising People’s Party has appealed to all the rank and file of ‘soon-to-be-extinct’ Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party to leave the party without delay, saying that the latter has betrayed the “strong regional spirit of the Naga people.”
RPP said that since 2003, the present CM has championed himself as a regional strongman who managed to keep Delhi at bay. “Keeping aside the allegations of corruption and personal enrichment, credit should be given to him for keeping the Naga identity flag flying high for which the RPP would like to acknowledge his leadership. But today fortress Nagaland is in danger, thanks to the merger pact,” RPP said.
“The plain truth is that the NDPP has betrayed the strong regional spirit of the Naga people, the same people who elected Mr. Rio as the Chief Minister on 4 consecutive occasions,” RPP further said. “From championing regionalism/Naga identity to embracing a national party is called opportunistic politics, and when the party is none other than the NDPP it’s nothing less than plain treachery,” RPP alleged.
RPP went on to say that, on the 31st July, 2022 a senior journalist based in New Delhi wrote, “In 2023, after election, NDPP may merge with the BJP”, that is, if at all the alliance manages to come to power. The NDPP has not refuted this news, according to RPP.
“If this information is correct, CM Rio and the 41 NDPP MLAs, and all the rank and file of the NDPP are now basically Karyakartas of the BJP,” RPP reasoned.
RPP said that the post-2023 election merger of NDPP into the BJP presents a clear and present danger to the state. “The state requires a strong regional party to protect the interest of Nagaland but with the NPF rendered crippled, and the NDPP soon to be extinct, Nagas are entering an era of fear and confusion,” RPP said.
“During this period of leadership crisis and utter confusion, the Rising People’s Party though young, is ready to rise to the occasion and stand, guard, and protect our people where others have failed,” it added. It also said that this leadership crisis is not different from 1998-2003 when the then ‘Opposition-less’ Congress government failed to read the pulse of the Naga people and was completely humiliated in the 2003 general elections.
“The RPP is for Naga solution. However, if there’s no solution and election is held as scheduled next year, the soon-to-be-extinct NDPP should not be allowed to take Nagas for a ride,” it further said.
RPP said that in order to keep regional identity alive, the patriotic Nagas and intellectuals must rise from up their sleep and stop “traitors” from winning elections.