DIMAPUR:
Undeterred by the recent defection of 21 party MLAs to the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), newly appointed legislature party leader of Naga People’s Front’s (NPF) Kuzholuzo Nienu, on May 3, said that the party will carry forward the aspirations and voice of the Naga people.
Nienu, however, said that the defection of the legislators, including the former leader of NPF Legislature Party and former chief minister TR Zeliang, to NDPP was shocking. “We did not know the timing of their defection but it was on the expected line,” he said.
Nienu, along with the new chief whip of the NPF Legislature Party Nganshi K Ao, were felicitated by the NPF in its central office in Kohima on Tuesday.
After the defection of the 21 MLAs, the NPF was left with only four legislators but Nienu expressed optimism that the party will work hard to reach greater heights.
New chief whip of the party Ao said with a “clean house”, the NPF will start afresh with better politics and do justice to the people of Nagaland.
“Politics is clean, yet we play it dirty,” he said, while cautioning that the party should be careful in allotting tickets for the coming Assembly election which is due early next year.
Terming the recent development of defection of the MLAs as not the “end of the road”, Ao said this is a time of desperation but it is not right to speak ill about anything. He assured the party workers that the NPF is the right platform for the Naga people.
Secretary general of the party Achumbemo Kikon, who chaired the programme, urged the party workers to extend their fullest support to the new leaders and stressed on the need to focus on the betterment of the party.
NPF working president Apong Pongener said the defections are not a new experience for the party adding that it has overcome such crises in the past. While calling upon the party workers for unity, Pongener said, “Together we can fight any wind that blows against the party.”