DIMAPUR, May 8 - In yet another setback to Opposition Naga People�s Front (NPF), seven more central office bearers resigned from the party on Wednesday.
Earlier, seven Assembly unit presidents of NPF resigned from the party to join the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP).
Their resignation follows suspension of party�s seven MLAs for openly defying the NPF�s collective decision and filing of a petition before the Speaker for their disqualification by the party leadership on April 24.
The NPF suspended the seven legislators and filed disqualification petition against them for supporting NDPP candidate Tokheho Yepthomi in the April 11 Lok Sabha polls though the Opposition party had decided to back the Congress�s KL Chishi.
In their resignation letter to party president Shurhozelie Liezietsu on Wednesday, NPF general secretary B Bangtick Phom, secretary Bongshin Yanlem and central executive committee member from Tamlu Assembly constituency B Athy termed suspension order served to sitting MLA from the constituency BS Nganlang �unjust�.
The three said they decided to resign from primary and active party membership and their respective party posts in protest against the suspension order served to Nganlang.
They clarified that the seven suspended MLAs and their supporters decided to support the NDPP candidate in the absence of an official NPF candidate in the recently concluded Lok Sabha election. They asserted that the NPF office had no moral right to suspend the seven NPF MLAs as rest of the opposition MLAs voted in favour of the Congress candidate.
In a separate letter to Liezietsu, another NPF general secretary Akang, secretary Nokshom Konyak, central youth wing vice president Honpha Konyak and general secretary Kapwang Konyak said they have decided to resign from the active and primary membership of the party to join the NDPP under the leadership of its president Chingwang Konyak and Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio.
The disciplinary action committee of NPF on Tuesday served a show cause notice to another 16 of its members for alleged anti-party activities.
In its notice, the committee said it had taken serious note of their anti-party activities for supporting a political opponent in the recently concluded Parliamentary election to the lone Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland.
They have been directed to submit their reply in written within seven days from the date of issue of the show cause notice.
