Nagaland’s ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) has accused opposition Naga People’s Front (NPF) of trying to topple their government with support from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
In a press release issued on Thursday evening, NDPP’s media and communications committee blamed NPF leader and former chief minister TR Zeliang and his party of making “desperate attempts to regain power”.
NDPP alleged that Zeliang met the BJP’s central leadership in Delhi on September 26 and expressed NPF’s willingness to align with the saffron party after its president Shurhozelie Liezietsu’s term ends.
The BJP, which had been a partner in the NPF-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland which was in power in the state since 2003, had severed ties with NPF ahead of the assembly polls in March this year and joined hands with newly-formed NDPP to form the People Democratic Alliance (PDA) government.
The NDPP’s accusation comes at a time when there are rumours in Nagaland about possibility of some change in government and a big shake up in the ruling PDA. At present, the ruling NDPP has 17 MLAs (after death of one legislator recently) and the BJP has 12. It also has support of one Independent MLA, one Janata Dal (United) member and two National Peoples’ Party (NPP) legislators. On the other hand, NPF has 26 MLAs.
“In continuation of his lies, he (Zeliang) informed the BJP leadership that he has the support of the Independent MLA, the JD (U) and the National People’s Party and that some NDPP members were also willing to join him,” the NDPP release read.
{{/usCountry}}“In continuation of his lies, he (Zeliang) informed the BJP leadership that he has the support of the Independent MLA, the JD (U) and the National People’s Party and that some NDPP members were also willing to join him,” the NDPP release read.
{{/usCountry}}It also said that Zeliang also told the BJP that if he is made chief minister of a NPF-BJP government, the saffron party could have their say in allocation of portfolios and would have NPF’s support for the lone Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha seats from Nagaland.
According to NDPP, the BJP leadership rejected Zeliang’s offer and told him that it is not ready to break the pre-poll alliance signed with the NDPP or withdraw support to the Neiphiu Rio government.
Meanwhile, BJP’s Nagaland chief Temjen Imna Along said: “Whatever is being played out is between NDPP and NPF and BJP has no role in it. I can assure that the PDA alliance is intact and there’s no threat to the present government.”
In its response, the NPF termed the NDPP’s allegations “concocted tales” and blamed it for making personal attacks on Zeliang.
“The attempt to drive a wedge between the president of NPF Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu and leader of the NPF legislature party TR Zeliang is a deceitful trick and holds no water,” the party’s rejoinder read. It also accused the ruling party of trying to woo its legislators with assurances of cabinet berths and help in future elections.