Nagaland: NDPP yet to respond to NPF's offer for all-party govt; consultation with BJP ongoing, says Rio
Speaking exclusively to The Northeast Today (TNT) in Shillong, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said that the NDPP welcomes the offer of the NPF but the matter is still under consultation with its ally - the BJP.
The ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) in Nagaland is yet to respond to the offer made by the Opposition Naga People's Front (NPF) for an all-party government to resolve the long-pending Naga Political Issue.
Speaking exclusively to The Northeast Today (TNT) in Shillong, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said that the NDPP welcomes the offer of the NPF but the matter is still under consultation with its ally - the BJP.
Rio is in Shillong to attend a special meeting of all the chief ministers of Northeast India, chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
"We welcome their statement but, we are yet to discuss it because I am away for this meeting (in Shillong). The discussion will be held after I go back," Rio said.
"Right now, we are consulting with our ally - BJP and, when we get back, we will talk," he added.
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Nagaland is set to witness an Opposition-less Assembly with the resolution passed by the NPF to join the ruling People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA). However, the matter is yet to be decided as the BJP has not made its stand clear.
The NPF had earlier passed a resolution to ally with the ruling PDA in a reported bid to resolve the decades-long Naga Political Issue once and for all, paving way for an Opposition-less assembly.
This development took place a month after political parties in Nagaland came together after the formation of the Core Committee for Naga Political Issue on June 16.
This is not the first time that Nagaland is without an Opposition. In 2015, when NPF leader TR Zeliang was the Chief Minister, all eight legislators of Congress joined the ruling NPF thus leaving the Opposition with no MLAs.
The NPF is the single largest party with 25 MLAs in Nagaland in a 60-member assembly. The NDPP led government in Nagaland has 20 members and the BJP has 12.
(Edited by Ibankyntiew Mawrie)
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