Pull out threat from the NPF : Interesting rider
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: May 20 2019 -

Pull out threat with a rider. And the rider is the time frame given as ‘after the Lok Sabha election’.

Pull out after the last and final phase of voting on May 19 or pull out after the vote count is held or pull out after the election process is over, as scheduled by the Election Commission of India ?

Not clear for the Naga People’s Front (NPF) has not taken the trouble to specify this.

So in effect no specific time frame set, but delivering an important political point.

This is what can be read into the development so far and only time will tell how things develop.

Interesting to note too that none of the State NPF leaders were ready to take the phone calls made by The Sangai Express repeatedly on May 18, the day former Chief Minister of Nagaland TR Zeliang tweeted that the NPF will pull out from the BJP led coalition Government in Manipur.

Not that this will have any adverse impact on the BJP led Government at Imphal, for there are others which will ensure that the BJP led front still enjoys a majority in the House of 60 with eight rogue Congress MLAs, four from NPP, one Independent, one from the LJP and one Trinamul MLA extending support to the BJP.

So can the political statement of the NPF be taken as yet another political manoeuvre to get a bigger share from the partnership or is it really serious about going it solo, sans the weight of partnership with the BJP ?

Only the top brass of the NPF can answer this, but to be sure the latest move from the NPF seems to have shaken the State BJP leadership, with Chief Minister N Biren going on record to state that no efforts would be spared to implement all the points of agreement arrived at with the NPF at the time of Government formation.

The assurance of the Chief Minister also came with the rider, ‘in consultation with Central leaders.’

What are the points agreed between the NPF and the BJP at the time of Government formation sometime in 2017 ?

More than sure that this is a question which must be high up there on the list of every citizens who are concerned with the latest political development.

It may also be asked whether the latest move of the NPF has come keeping in view the Lok Sabha elections and the results set to be declared on May 23.

And if the latest political development is closely tied to the Lok Sabha elections, then can one do away with the question of the ongoing political dialogue between the NSCN (IM) and the Government of India, which reportedly is at the final stage ?

The NPF, as all know, is closely tied to the ongoing peace process between New Delhi and the NSCN (IM) and to believe that whatever steps it takes up may be in line with the ongoing political negotiations would not be stretching things too far.

Or it may all come out to be a case of too much ado about nothing at all, for political partners are known to have thrown tantrums and put up demands with the threat that they may snap political ties with another political party with which they are together in a coalition.

It is also not surprising to see the Congress rolling up its sleeves following the outburst of the NPF against the BJP.