Manipur | NPF to pull out of BJP-led Government after polls

Imphal, May 18, 2019:

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has suffered a severe setback ahead of the final phase of polling of the Lok Sabha elections as the Naga People's Front (NPF) party has decided to pull out of the N Biren Singh-led coalition Government in Manipur as soon as the Lok Sabha elections are over.

The NPF party took this decision after intense deliberation and review meeting with the party functionaries and the NPF MLAs in the state capital Imphal. NPF leader TR Zeliang took to Twitter to inform about the party's decision.

Zeliang said: "After an intense deliberation and review meeting with the party functionaries and the NPF MLAs of Manipur State, the NPF party has decided in principle to pull out our 4 NPF MLAs from the BJP led Govt. in Manipur headed by N Biren Singh soon after the LS election is completed."

Zeliang also said that this decision at this juncture is necessitated due to the indifferent attitude of the BJP towards the NPF, its coalition partner in Manipur and also in the State of Nagaland.

"Further implementation of this decision will take place after the completion of Election process", Zeliang informed.

The NPF is unhappy with the BJP party and the state unit chief of the Naga People's Front (NPF), Awangbou Newmai, claimed that the BJP "looks down" on its alliance partners including the NPF.

The NPF leader also alleged that the party BJP has not fulfilled its promises to the alliance partners and has claimed that its suggestions have been completely ignored by the BJP party.

Meanwhile, the BJP has vehemently denied the allegations.

Even if the NPF withdraws support, it will not affect the BJP Government in the State. Eight of the 28 Congress MLAs, who had won the 2017 polls, defected to the BJP last year, taking its tally from 21 to 29 in the Assembly.

The other parties in the ruling coalition are NPP (4), LJP (1), Independent (1) and AITC (1).

NPF's Loshii Dikho, who won from the Mao Assembly seat, is also a cabinet minister.