Crisis and conflicts within Naga People’s Front (NPF) have become a feature of the party’s legislature that began in 2014 went on in 2015 then 2017 during which the party had four chief ministers as a consequence of the internal tussles.
According to Naga People’s Front sources, the NPF legislature had a marathon meeting on Tuesday over a statement purportedly made by a senior legislator who disclosed he was mulling on his future and would be leaving the party.
The meeting purportedly resolved to close the door on the senior leader and also would refuse to accept him back even if he wanted to remain within the party, sources said.
It was also learnt that personal differences between the senior NPF member/legislator and opposition party leader T.R. Zeliang led to the convening of the emergency meeting of the legislators.
According to sources, some 15 MLAs attended the meeting that went well into the late night at the residence of T.R. Zeliang.
According to insiders, the senior legislator probably felt he was being sidelined by the party leader despite his contributions to the party in the recent general election.
The legislator is believed to be having the support of a handful of MLAs who would likely follow him in case of any eventuality.
The NPF party has 26 legislators and it is believed that so far, at least seven of them are unhappy with the current affairs of the party.
The current fissures within the NPF party comes after the party put the government in the dock during the recently concluded budget session.
When contacted, sources from the NPF party informed that it was purely on personal issue and has got nothing to do with the government. The source opined that the matter would be decided on how the party leader T.R Zeliang deals with it.
Also sources ridiculed the rumours spreading in social media stating that “none of them are true”.
From 2014 the NPF party witnessed the spectre of legislators taking holiday refuge at Kaziranga resort at least on two occasions and also in luxury hotels in Kohima and Dimapur when the party was wracked by divisions in 2014, 2015, 2016-17.
The crisis within the opposition NPF could either spell serious problems for the party if more legislators walk out to cause a split.
As per the Anti Defection Law it would require 2/3rd of 26 NPF legislators to cause a split in order to avoid disqualification.