NDPP reacts to statements of NPF President

Kohima, 27th July 2019

The attention of the NDPP is drawn to the statements of the President and the Secretary General of the NPF that appeared in the local dailies on 25.07.2019. It comes as surprise that Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu, apart from being a former Chief Minister and the President of the NPF has also become a fortune teller wherein he has “predicted” the down fall of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP). Perhaps the octogenarian of the NPF party has suddenly woken up from a deep slumber since the whole state is witness to how the NDPP has been growing from strength to strength over the months.

The President of the NPF has accused the NDPP of “greed and power mongering” which comes as no surprise since he is only voicing his own morals and principles! It was not long ago when the people of the state bore witness to the magnanimity of the Hon’ble Members of the 12th House in making Dr. Liezietsu the Chief Minister of Nagaland even though he was not an elected representative.

What followed was a tenure rife with corruption, nepotism, tribalism not forgetting the greed for power. He had the audacity to appoint his own son as the Advisor to Chief Minister and if this does not spell nepotism, then what does? The people of the state also saw how he desperately tried to cling on to the chair of the Chief Minister despite the majority of the elected members revoking their support to his leadership.

Dr. Shurhozelie, in spite of having promised the MLAs that he would occupy the chair of the Chief Minister for only a few months in order for things to come back to normalcy and that he has retired from active politics, made a fool of everyone when he decided to contest the by-elections to the 10th Northeren Angami – II assembly constituency which was vacated by his son in 2017. This is proof enough of his hunger for power since his intention was never to give up the chair, but to remain as the Chief Minister.

Today this very same person is accusing the NDPP of being greedy and power mongers, when it is him who was unceremoniously removed as the Chief Minister by the Hon’ble Governor, perhaps becoming the only Chief Minister of the State to have that misnomer, since he refused to resign as the Chief Minister as he had lost the confidence of the majority of the elected representatives.

It was in fact the greed of the NPF and its leadership that brought down the NPF led DAN government from a position of absolute power under an opposition less government to the role of an opposition. And today, when a few of their elected representatives have voiced their appreciation towards genuine development and progress in the state as is witnessed in any healthy form of democracy, the NPF leadership has instead accused them of anti-party activities and have even gone to the extent of filing disqualification petitions against some of them. In such a scenario, it is a wonder as to who is on the brink of downfall. The NDPP or the NPF?!

Today, the President of the NPF is talking about how the party has survived over the years. Perhaps his memory is failing him since it was he who single handedly managed to deregister the party and freeze the Cock symbol from the Election Commission of India and needed the intervention and help of none other than the present Chief Minister Mr. Neiphiu Rio, whom he incidentally stabbed on the back later, to revive the Cock symbol and the party!

To say that the NDPP, as in the case of previous regional parties in the past will too disappear soon is an irony since it is an open secret in what condition the “oldest regional” party in NER is in today. The grand old cock party of yesteryears is in total confusion and disarray with its own leadership not knowing what is actually happening in the grassroot. Perhaps it is time for the NPF leadership to stop living in its past glory and instead wake up to the realities that threaten its very existence.

The NDPP is also amused at the Statement of the Hon’ble Member of Parliament (R.S) and the Secretary General of the NPF where he has proudly proclaimed that the NPF was lucky to have ruled the state for 15 successive years. Yes, without a doubt, the NPF had been at the helm of affairs for 15 years, but perhaps Mr. Kenye forgets the person who made it possible for the Cock party to come to power thrice consecutively.

If Mr. Neiphiu Rio had not come to the rescue of the NPF in 2002-03, perhaps we would be reading a different story. The NPF as a responsible political party should be magnanimous enough to give credit where it is deserved.

Mr. K. G, Kenye has also claimed that the NPF have been “approached through the back door the offer of power”. The Secretary General should also oblige the people by revealing what he means by back door since the NDPP and PDA always maintain an open-door policy which is the front door.

Mr. K. G. Kenye is probably uttering what is going on in his mind and in his fantasy since the NDPP nor our alliance partners have neither resorted to back door nor front door offer to the NPF at any time. In fact, it was only a few moths ago when the sensational revelation of how the NPF Legislators had decided to approach the NDPP to form a regional alliance in the state went viral on social media and other platforms.

The NDPP is not a party that follows the policy of opportunism as has been the case of the NPF in the past. The NDPP has and will always stand firm by our pre-poll alliance with the BJP and it was with this stand that the NDPP had condemned the move made by the NPF Legislature Party.

Despite the opposition raising criticisms over the policies of the NDPP led PDA government, the NDPP has decided not to react as we believe in the importance of the role of an opposition in a democratic system of government.

However, the NDPP will not remain mute when none other than the president of the NPF makes absurd allegations and predictions when it is well known that he is trying to unload his misdeeds on the NDPP, the PDA government and its leaders. We are confident that the people of the state will not be beguiled by the lies and fabricated statements of the NPF party and its leaders.

We continue to assure the people that we firmly stand by our principles and motto of “deeds not words” (Facta no Verba), and will continue to endeavour towards ushering in a new ear of change in Nagaland under the slogan “Development for all! Together with all!”


(Issued by NDPP Media & Communication Committee)