In the face of a near total rebellion after almost 42 NPF legislators deserted him on Friday night, NPF president Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu on Saturday put up a brave front and exuded confidence that the party organisation was intact.
He said this at the emergency meeting with the NPF Central Executive, Central office bearers along with the division presidents on Saturday evening at his residence in Kohima, NPF media & press bureau said in a press note.
Comforting the party functionaries that nothing would go wrong, Dr. Shürhozelie said “we still hold the Trump Card”.
He appealed to the party functionaries not to be disheartened, saying “some of our legislators have gone to Kaziranga but they are still NPF legislators and we are in touch with many of them.” Dr. Shürhozelie also assured the party workers that changes would take place in their favour in a day or two.
According to NPF media bureau, other speakers who spoke at the meeting pointed out that the party president and the chief whip of the NPF Legislature Party were still with the party organisation and that “the present Kaziranga episode will flop like the failed Coup D’état of 2015 when majority of the NPF legislators embarked on the misadventure but were compelled to return to the party-fold”.
Earlier in the evening, the media bureau said NLA Speaker, Chotisuh Sazo also paid a courtesy call on the party president.
NPF claimed that senior legislators at Kaziranga, when contacted, had told party leaders that they would be returning very soon to the capital and assured party functionaries not to be unduly worried.