Naga People's Front to withdraw support to BJP govt in Manipur

Kohima, May 19 (UNI) The Naga Peoples Front (NPF) party of Nagaland has decided to withdraw its support in principle to the BJP led government in Manipur headed by N. Biren Singh after the Lok Sabha elections are over.

The decision was made yesterday after the NPF leaders held another huddle at the NPF Central Office in Kohima in the presence of its party president Shurhozelie Liezietsu, leader of Opposition T.R.

Zeliang, core committee members and the four MLAs from Manipur, in which is a partner in the BJP-led alliance in Manipur has four MLAs in the 60- member Assembly including a cabinet minister.

In a tweet, Zeliang said after an intense deliberation and review meeting with the party functionaries and the NPF MLAs of Manipur state, the NPF party has decided in principle to pull out our 4 NPF MLAs from the BJP-led government in Manipur headed by N. Biren Singh soon after the Lok Sabha election is complete.

This decision at this juncture is necessitated due to the indifferent attitude of the BJP towards us, its coalition partner in Manipur and also in the state of Nagaland, said Zeliang.

Speaking to media persons after the meeting, NPF president Shurhozelie Liezietsu recalled how BJP had decided to walk out of the 15-year-old alliance with NPF. Despite protecting the BJP, when the party was in the opposition at the Centre, Shurhozelie said the NPF gave full protection to BJP for 15 years. But after it (BJP) came to power in 2014, the party completely changed its colour and tried to dictate terms with the NPF, he added.

He also recalled how NPF stood its ground by refusing to agree to the conditions set by BJP. Though the saffron party had severed ties with the NPF in Nagaland, Shurhozelie said his party had no ill feeling towards BJP and stood firm to support the party in Manipur.

Refusing to divulge any further details of the meeting, Shurhozelie said the NPF concluded by agreeing in principle to withdraw support to the BJP-led government in Manipur. He said since the last phase of Lok Sabha election ends today, withdrawing support at this moment would appear to be childish. Therefore, he said the implementation will take place after the electioneering process.

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