NPF's support to Ibobi doubtful: Surchandra
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 17 2019: Even if the incumbent coalition Government led by N Biren must be replaced by a Congress Government with Okram Ibobi as the Chief Minister, it is highly doubtful whether Naga People's Front (NPF) would support the new Government, said MLA Y Surchandra who is supporting the BJP-led coalition Government after defecting from Congress party.

Talking to The Sangai Express, Surchandra remarked that it appears NPF has been bargaining for accommodation of their MLAs in the Government.

At the same time, all political parties have been looking forward to the Lok Sabha election results which would become very clear by May 23/24, he said.

Exuding confidence that NDA would secure enough seats to form the next Government at the Centre, Surchandra maintained that all the political buzz seen today in the State will fizzle out in case NDA retains power at the Centre.

He categorically asserted that no one is leaving the Government.

MLA Y Surchandra

The Government led by N Biren is being supported by a comfortable number of MLAs, he claimed.

Nonetheless, he admitted that the existing configuration may change if a non-NDA Government is formed at the Centre.

But the tussle would be basically between BJP and Congress, Surchandra said.

Yet it does not mean that the MLAs in the ruling bench would defect to Congress.

There is also the State Assembly Speaker and the MLAs would definitely take into consideration all possible fallouts if the Speaker exercises his authority, he continued.

Moreover, the Governor would never entertain Congress party's stake to form a new Government if they do not command support from a comfortable number of MLAs.

At the same time there is no guarantee that all the Congress MLAs who are supporting the Biren Government would go back to Congress party.

All the political speculations being made by different quarters are just rumours, he asserted.

All the four NPP MLAs are given Ministerial berths while one out of the four NPF MLAs is given a Ministerial berth.

It is very unlikely that all the four NPP MLAs would be given Ministerial berths if a new Government is formed with NPP as a partner.

If all the NPP MLAs are given Ministerial berths, then the new Government would be compelled to give Ministerial berths to all the four MLAs of NPF.

In such a scenario, the question of the new Government's capacity to accommodate all the eight MLAs will become a deciding factor, he said.

At the National level, there are three political fronts namely NDA, UPA and Third Front.

Even if UPA and the Third Front form an alliance in pursuit of their common desire to topple the NDA Government, the alliance would not be very cohesive or harmonious.

There was no pre-poll alliance between UPA and the Third Front and they do not have a common agenda.

Moreover, there are regional political leaders like Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav who do not support Congress party, Surchandra added.