Senapati: Two times former state minister and who also held the post of the working president of the State Congress Party was accorded a warm welcome by the Naga People’s Front, Manipur State Unit (NPF, MSU) at its head office, Senapati on Wednesday.
A pledge to work in the interest of the party was led by Awangbow Newmai, president, NPF, MSU who is also the Forest, Climate Change & Environment minister, Manipur.
In his address, minister Awangbow Newmai stated that D. Korungthang, Ex-minister recently resigned from the Congress membership and MLA to join the NPF. The NPF, Manipur Unit president also mentioned that any member who wish to join the party are always welcome provided that one must resign from the earlier party affiliation one might be and should not be member of any other political party. When the party members found satisfied and committed to be sincere in the party could be considered an active member of the party. People of Manipur are stated to have full confidence on the NPF party which stands for those people who cannot stand for themselves. NPF is stated to be a party that stands for justice of everyone, whether a small community or big community, for everybody and wants to have good relations with everyone. NPF party is stated to ensure whether big or small, poor or rich have their own rights to ensure peace in the land, in the state, country and world. The NPF believes that with respect for each other could find a way to bring solution to any kind of conflict, including political conflict. The NPF president claims that the party could prove to the people that it stands for justice, who stands to what they had committed. The BJP-led Govt in Manipur could complete its full term with the sincerity and commitment who stand firm to the commitment. It is the NPF party who could carry the present Govt from beginning till date with their support, the president asserted. While other political parties had shown their colours many times on different occasions, the NPF president stated that the party had shown their colours to stand in their commitment.
Former minister Francis Ngajokpa who recently joined NPF stated that they have come home, to have joined the ethnic identity of the Northeast and for the people of the state in particular. As they are new to the party, the former minister also sought to help them understand more and help them to work more sincerely who assured to work as per the constitution of the party in future.
D. Korungthang, former minister and former working President of the MPCC in his speech expressed happiness for the hearty welcome to the party as an active member. Having left from the MPCC and as member of the Legislative Assembly, the 2 times former minister stated that he had joined the party that mainly focuses on the regional issue. The newly home coming former minister had taken pledge to work under the principle of the party that can work particularly for the region. He stated to have full hope to work together for the betterment of the people adding many people think the NPF is a communal party which is totally wrong, he said. A stable Govt and peaceful Govt could be brought in the state through presence of the NPF party, he said. The particular assembly constituency of the former minister is stated to be inherited by many ethnic groups, living together who stated he wish to prove that the NPF is never a communal party. With many minority groups living together in his constituency, the former minister is hopeful to work together for the people of the region and for their rights. He believes that regional party like the NPF will bring peace in the Northeast.
D. Korungthang, s/o (L) D. Angkhul of Langol Village, Tengnoupal district first got elected as an MLA from Samata Party in 2002, merged to Congress later and held as Social Welfare Minister in 2006. Re-elected as Congress MLA in 2012 and held as Health & Family Welfare Minister in 2016. He was re-elected as Congress MLA in 2017 and recently resigned as MLA and Congress on January 3 last.
Achumbemo Kikon, secretary general, NPF, central in his speech stated that each and every political party looks forward to a gathering of such sort because, a leader, to take a decision to leave the former political party and joining a new political party is a very good job who also welcomed the former minister coming from the Congress. The secretary general of the central NPF also welcomed the coming of the former minister, Francis Ngajokpa whose enrolment process had been reportedly completed a month back including quite a lot of personalities from other political parties and various backgrounds have returned to the fold. The NPF party is stated to be a party for the downtrodden people, that believes in peaceful solution of all kinds of conflicts and that believes in peaceful co-existence with all the neighbouring communities. It stated to be a party where anyone can express one’s aspirations without any reservation. Calling upon anyone who is hesitant to join the party to come forward and be a part of the party as being one of the oldest regional political parties in the northeast.
The NPF is stated to have sustained for over 5 decades with 58 years of existence where the pioneers and elders had formed this party on 21st October, 1963. They have a vision that this party give an opportunity for the aspiration of not only for Naga people but also for the entire ethnic communities of the northeast. With that focus and target, the party was launched on May 28, 2011 into Manipur state. Ever since, the party is reported to have grown from strength to strength in Manipur state till date.
The NPF is reported to have fought 2 assembly elections way back in 2012 and 2017 where, 4 MLAs got elected in both terms in the past. The central secretary general, NPF is hopeful to increase to double of what was obtained in the past in the forthcoming 2022 assembly elections.
Looking back at the vote percentage that was shared in the last 2017 assembly elections, the NPF party stood third, apart from the 2 national political parties like the BJP and Congress. People have proven their beliefs on the party post assembly elections of 2012 and 2017 and hopeful to increase the number of seats in the upcoming elections.
The NPF reportedly fought the elections for the first time in 1964 with the primary objective of the party during that time was to bring peace and to bring a peaceful negotiation and resolute the Naga political issue to bring the Govt of India and the Naga national workers to a negotiating table.
The first 12 elected NPF MLAs during that time placed an agenda in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly that later passed a resolution to bring the two parties to negotiating table to find an honourable and acceptable solution to the Naga political issue. With active participation of the Nagaland Baptist Church Council in facilitating the talk between the Govt of India with the Naga political groups, ceasefire was signed between the NNC/FGN and Govt of India. Second ceasefire also took place in 1997 through active participation of the NPF since the past. So many remarkable outcomes took place through the active participation of the party with so many sacrifices, he said. The party is reportedly instituted to deliver something to the downtrodden people which is not only for the Nagas for all neighbouring communities too. The yearning for own people and aspiration of the people are not found in other national political party like in the NPF, Kikon asserted calling to have taken the right decision to have joined the party.
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While the Prime Minister had shown seriousness on the Naga political issue to have signed the Framework Agreement in the past, the NPF thought to bring a peaceful solution to the long pending Naga political issue had reportedly opted to form the BJP-led Govt in Manipur. The NPF leader also mentioned that all developments both in the hills and valley could come only through active participation of the NPF in the Govt by bringing peace in the region. While the NPF has committed to ensure congenial peace in the land, the NPF leader questioned why go other political parties that create turmoil, chaos and confusions? Had it not been through active participation of the NPF, the situation that is found in Manipur would be far more different from what is found at present, he lamented.
PHED minister, L. Dikho, Lok Sabha MP, Dr. Lorho S. Pfoze, HAC Chairman Leishiyo Keishing and other party leaders from central and state unit attended the reception program.
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