Nagaland: NPF files disqualification plea against 7 rebel MLAs

By Bhupen Goswami

Guwahati : The opposition Naga People’s Front (NPF) of Nagaland filed disqualification petition before Assembly Speaker Vikho-o Yhoshu against seven of its legislators for defying the party’s the collective decision to support the Congress party in the April 11 Lok Sabha polls.According to reports, the seven rebel NPF legislators – Kejong Chang, E E Pangteang, Eshak Konyak, C L John, B S Nganlang, N Thongwang Konyak and Toyang Chang – had campaigned for Yepthomi despite show-cause notices issued to them.In a statement issued here, the NPF had stated, “The reason of filling the disqualification petition against the seven erring MLAs is willfully defying the party’s collection decision to support the Congress party in the last parliamentary election 2019 to the lone Nagaland parliamentary constituency.” “It is crystal clear that by openly going against the party’s decision amounts to voluntarily giving up the membership of the NPF. The party has empowered the NPF legislature wing to file and pursue the disqualification petitions against the erring legislators,” the NPF stated. The NPF also hoped that Speaker Yhoshu will dispose of the matter ‘within time and without fear or favour as per law’.The seven rebel NPF legislators had campaigned for outgoing Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) MP Tokheho Yepthomi.Yepthomi – who was the joint candidate of the ruling NDPP-led PDA, which comprises the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Janata Dal (United) and an Independent – is seeking a re-election from the lone Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland.The NPF, which did not field its candidate, had supported former Chief Minister and Congress candidate K L Chishi.Nagaland recorded an overall 83.12 per cent voter turnout.