Kohima, July 18 (MExN): The National People’s Party (NPP) on Saturday accused the Naga People’s Front (NPF) of targeting its elected representatives, alleging that development funds and government schemes were being used as instruments of political coercion to induce defections. It termed the repeated poaching attempts as “undemocratic practices.”
The allegation follows the latest defection of two NPP Municipal Councillors from Kohima to the NPF, which comes after an earlier instance involving two NPP Municipal Councillors from Dimapur. The NPP said this indicated “what appears to be a deliberate pattern rather than isolated political developments.”
“The circumstances surrounding the latest defections are particularly disturbing. Reports and representations received by the Party suggest that pressure was exerted on elected councillors through threats that development funds and government schemes would not be made available unless they joined the ruling party,” NPP National Working President James K Sangma said in a statement.
He added that if such allegations were true, they raised serious concerns about the misuse of political influence and undermined the democratic principle that development belonged to the people and should never be used as an instrument of political coercion. “Democracy loses its meaning when access to public resources is perceived to depend on political allegiance,” Sangma said.
The NPP said political competition should be based on ideology, public service, and the confidence of the people, not on systematic efforts to weaken other parties by targeting their elected representatives which involves undemocratic practices.
Sangma noted that the NPP had consistently maintained cordial political relations with all regional and national parties, including the NPF. He expressed disappointment that repeated attempts were being made to target the elected representatives of a partner political party instead of allowing healthy democratic competition to prevail.
The party said it was carefully reviewing the developments in Nagaland and would take all necessary organisational measures to strengthen its structure at every level. “Recent events have reinforced the need to consolidate the organisation, nurture committed grassroots leadership, and build a stronger cadre-based party that cannot be weakened through defections,” Sangma added.
The NPP said it remained confident that the people of Nagaland desired constructive politics based on credibility, accountability and public service rather than politics driven by defections and political expediency.
The party assured its workers and supporters that it would emerge stronger from these challenges and would continue working tirelessly to provide a credible political alternative for the people of Nagaland.
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