KOHIMA: Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio has been elected as the president of the Naga People’s Front (NPF) on Tuesday as the merger of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and NPF was finalised at a general convention held in the state capital Kohima.
With the convergence of the two political parties into a single regional party being completed, the newly resurgent NPF under CM Rio will now have 34 MLAs in the 60-member state assembly.
Rio’s tenure as president of the party will continue till 2030.
MLA Achumbemo Kikon retained his position in the party as the secretary general while NDPP president and veteran politician Chingwang Konyak was given the president emeritus title.
The general convention, attended by hundreds from all the units of NPF including the Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh state units, endorsed the merger complete, validated and legitimised with a show of hands.
“The merger of our two parties is more than an organisational decision- it is a reflection of our shared vision, mutual respect, and collective determination to work together for a stronger and more inclusive political future,” Rio said following his acceptance of the reins of the NPF.
He maintained that the merger is not merely the joining of two entities, but the uniting of ideals, energies, and shared responsibilities. “It embodies our resolve to stand together under a common purpose: to build a robust regional party that can more effectively represent the aspirations of our people and address the long- standing Naga political issue with renewed unity and strength,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}He maintained that the merger is not merely the joining of two entities, but the uniting of ideals, energies, and shared responsibilities. “It embodies our resolve to stand together under a common purpose: to build a robust regional party that can more effectively represent the aspirations of our people and address the long- standing Naga political issue with renewed unity and strength,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Acknowledging the outgoing NPF president Apong Pongener’s decision to step down and pave the way for the new arrangement to take root seamlessly, Rio called it “a gracious decision”. He also expressed appreciation to deputy CM and leader of the BJP legislature party Y Patton, alliance partners and political parties for reposing their faith and confidence in his leadership.
Terming the occasion a “joyous homecoming”, Rio who began his political career with NPF (then United Democratic Front) in 1974, remarked that it is a moment of pride- historic and unprecedented- to become part of a political movement that has been central to the Naga political journey.
“With this merger, our regional party stands strengthened, and our family has grown even larger…. It reflects the spirit of sacrifice, respect for legacy, and, above all, it sends a resounding message that we are prepared to make any sacrifice for the cause of Naga unity and for the greater good of our people. Unity is the only way forward, and through unity we can lead our people to their rightful aspirations,” he said.
Urging all party members to dwell on bitter memories, he called upon all to look ahead with renewed vision and purpose while remaining firmly focused on the future tasks ahead.
“Our foremost priority remains the early and honourable resolution of the Indo- Naga political issue, in a manner that is inclusive and acceptable to all. At the same time, we must relentlessly pursue holistic development, progressive growth, and economic upliftment,” Rio said.
Nagaland is governed by the People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) with NDPP and BJP as partners, however, with the dissolution of NDPP and merger into NPF, the alliance has already passed a resolution that the partnership with BJP will continue.
The NPF has earlier submitted the merger-related necessary documents to the Nagaland Legislative Assembly speaker, who subsequently issued an official acceptance letter.
While the merger has effected changes in the party organisation, the NPF nomenclature, motto and the party’s cock symbol have been retained. The cock as the party symbol holds a foundational place in the history of the state’s regional politics, signifying “dawn, awakening and hope” was passed down from the early Democratic Party of Nagaland (DPN). The DPN was formed in 1963 in the backdrop of the Naga nationalist movement in a newly created state to counterbalance national political parties and to assert regional autonomy, preserve the Naga identity and facilitate dialogue to peacefully resolve the complex Naga political issue.
The party has undergone changes in nomenclature several times - from DPN to the United Front of Nagaland (UFN) in 1969. It then evolved to the United Democratic Front (UDF) in 1972, then to the Naga Nationalist Democratic Party (NNDP) in 1980, and the Nagaland People’s Council (NPC) in 1988. In 2002, it was rechristened Nagaland People’s Front (NPF) and finally to the Naga People’s Front in 2011.