Kohima dist BJP party leaders join Rio

In a major setback to BJP, office bearers of Kohima district committee and its frontals– mahila, yuva, kisan, minority and the three mandals of 8th Western Angami, 10th Northern Angami-I and 12-Tseminyu with all their units – have resigned en masse from the primary and active membership of the party on Monday. They also announced their decision to support former chief minister and Lok Sabha Member, Neiphiu Rio.

In a statement, Kohima district BJP committee general secretary Seyiekhrielie Nagi, who too resigned, said the move followed the state BJP leadership’s alleged negligence in resolving the present crisis within the committee over expulsion of its president Dr Khriezovolie Kesiyie and himself from the party. The statement said the office bearers had urged the state BJP leadership on October 24 to resolve the matter in the interest of the party and reconsider the “unilateral and hasty decision” taken by State BJP president Visasolie Lhoungu “without following the BJP party constitution”. However, they regretted that till date the state BJP leaders had not initiated any step to resolve the matter, but had only been involved in creating further misunderstanding and division among the rank and file of Kohima district committee.

“It is utterly regrettable that despite reaffirming our loyalty towards the uplift and success of the BJP in the state, the state BJP Leaders had confused Party workers by involving in vested interest politicking of some unscrupulous individuals and adamant to destroy the Party from the grassroots level,” the statement said.

Considering the fact that there was no future under the leadership of state BJP president, Visasolie Lhoungu, the party members said they have lost all hope on his leadership and with the State assembly polls knocking our doorsteps, the members have decided to resign en masse from the primary and active membership of the BJP Party. 

The resigned members also announced their decision with to join hands and extend support to Rio, saying he was the only “dynamic and visionary political leader”. They said they had called on Rio on Monday at his Kohima residence to extend their support.  “We appreciate his tall leadership in accepting us unconditionally,” the statement added.