After Telegu Desam Party (TDP) withdrew its support to the NDA government led by BJP at the Centre, Naga People’s Front (NPF) president Dr Shürhozelie Liezietsu felt the BJP after coming to power in Delhi has become “more aggressive” and “their approach has changed drastically”.
He alleged many of the NDA alliance partners at the Centre are walking away from BJP because of the latter’s “dictatorial” and “arrogant policies. The NPF chief was addressing the consultative meeting of the NPF candidates who lost the February 27 elections at the NPF Central office in Kohima on Wednesday.
The BJP broke 15-year alliance with NPF which led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) government in Nagaland for 15 years from 2003. The saffron party forged pre-poll alliance with newly formed Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) led by Neiphiu Rio before the recent Nagaland Assembly elections. The NDPP formed People’s Democratic Alliance led by it along with BJP and JD (U) after the elections. The JD (U) with one legislator, National People’s Party (NPP) with two MLAs and an independent extended support to PDA headed by Neiphiu Rio to form the new government in the state.
Liezietsu called upon the party rank and file and the candidates who lost the recent elections to stand firm with the party. He also urged them for better understanding and cooperation while at the same time to strive more for the betterment of the party.
Liezietsu also underlined the need for the party candidates to be committed to their supporters who gave their best for them during the electoral battle and called for their re-affirmation towards the party.
“Even though we failed to reach the magic figure (31), the Naga people are with us,” he maintained while stating that it is an opportunity for the party to be more serious and to have more trust in each other.
In his view, complacency on the part of party functionaries and anti-incumbency factor may be one of the reasons for the failure of NPF to come back to power.
He admitted developmental works were neglected as the previous Nagaland Assembly faced one of the most worst crises created by the elected members of the party themselves.
However, he rued, most of those leaders who created havoc in the last Assembly are now in the new PDA government.
