Kohima, March 21 (MExN): President of the Naga People’s Front (NPF), Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu has called upon the party rank and file and the candidates who lost the recently concluded general elections to stand firm with the party. He also urged for better understanding and cooperation and to strive more for the betterment of the party.
Addressing a consultative meeting of the NPF candidates who lost the February 27 State general election here at the NPF Central office today, Shürhozelie stated they should be committed to “their supporters who gave their best for them, the party candidates, 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,” Dr. Shürhozelie maintained, adding it is an opportunity for the party to be more serious and to have more trust in each other.
The NPF President also did not rule out the party’s failure to come back to power due to “complacency on the part of party functionaries and anti-incumbency” factors, according to a press release from NPF Central HQ Press Bureau.
Meanwhile, Shürhozelie said the previous 12th NLA faced one of the most crisis in which the “developmental works were neglected and the crises were created by the elected members of the party themselves.”
However, he noted, “most of those leaders who created havoc in the last Assembly are now in the new PDA government,” the release stated.
He also recalled how NPF as far back as 1977 joined the Janata Party alliance, which was the conglomeration of all non-Congress political parties of the country.
“BJP also joined the Janata alliance during early 80's and thus, in Nagaland the NPF also made an alliance with the BJP in 2003 and fought the elections successfully then,” he added.
However, Shürhozelie maintained that “the BJP after coming to power in Delhi has become more aggressive and their approach has changed drastically.”
The NPF President also reminded the gathering that due to the BJP’s “dictatorial and arrogant policies many of the NDA alliance at the Centre are walking away from it.”
After several NPF candidates who lost in the elections narrated their experiences, the President assured them that their failures will be discussed at the highest level of the party, it was informed.
The programme was chaired by KG Kenye, Secretary General of the NPF and MP Rajya Sabha.
