NDPP says BJP poached its leaders during ULB elections

DIMAPUR — Amid speculations arising out of the People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) allies fielding candidates against each other in the recent ULB elections, the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) on Saturday stated that it decided to contest under the Chumoukedima town council after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) resorted to poaching.

The NDPP, which swept all the three municipal councils and 13 town councils in the civic body polls, clarified in a press release that its People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had proposed fielding candidates only in their respective constituencies with sitting MLAs, while it suggested ‘friendly contests’, before deciding to adhere to the spirit of the alliance.

“In this principle, the NDPP and the BJP would field candidates in the respective assembly constituencies which are represented by 25 NDPP MLAs and 12 BJP MLAs,” read the statement, adding that they agreed for friendly contests in the remaining 23 constituencies and “selected areas”, if necessary.

“Unfortunately in contravention to the agreed principle, NDPP party leaders were poached and offered BJP tickets under Chumoukedima town council. This had antagonised our party functionaries at the grassroots level resulting in our party fielding official candidates under the Chumoukedima town council,” it said.

It added that attempts to formulate a formula for the Chumoukedima town council went unsuccessful.

“Despite these aspects, the NDPP did not field a single candidate in the Nuiland town council election as a gesture of mutual respect and in observance of the spirit of the alliance. The party was also surprised when camping has started for the Dimapur Municipal Council outside the state in Assam,” it continued.

The NDPP went on to say that aftermath the elections, ‘its leadership had taken a mature decision to maintain the spirit of the alliance throughout the state and work in close cooperation with it alliance partner in the greater interest of the citizens of the state’.

“The NDPP shall follow an inclusive approach and continue to maintain the positive teamwork that has been built up over the past years. We will not allow electoral differences in the local elections to hamper our common vision of all round development and progress of Nagaland,” it said.

Maintaining that it has a vision for the urban local bodies- to make up for the lost years of two decades and to set a benchmark to urban growth, the party urged everyone to bury electoral differences and unite in the spirit of oneness, “so that Nagaland marches forward striving towards excellence”.

It once again thanked the people for their overwhelming mandate and wished all the councilors a successful tenure.

“The NDPP would like to assure the people in a firm and clear manner that we will continue to uphold the voice of the Naga people and will always make every possible effort towards protection of our rights, culture, history and heritage. We will stand for justice to minorities and will never compromise on our religion and we assure that the NDPP will steadfastly stand up for the constitutional guarantee of secularism.

“The NDPP is deeply rooted in the ideology of regionalism and it is our utmost responsibility to ensure that we constantly uphold, protect the aspirations of the people and carry the voice of the masses,” it stated.