Manipur govt in trouble, NPF may withdraw

Naga People's Federation (NPF) which is part of the BJP-ledcoalition government will be convening a "serious and crucial"meeting in Kohima on May 18 (Friday) to decide on whether to support orwithdraw from Manipur's coalition government.

State Unit President Awangbou Newmai today told AsomiyaPratidin over the phone that the matter rose because "BJP have notRespected the alliance spirit in many occasion" ever since the coalitiongovernment was formed back in 2016.

This is a bad news for BJP led Government as they are dependingheavily on the 4 NPF members as their fate is hanging in the 60 member ManipurAssembly.  The BJP led block has 31(BJP-21, NPF-4, NPP-4, LHP-1,Ind-1) while Congress led block has 29 ( Congress28, AITC-1).

If NPF joins other side, Biren Singh government will falland the development before May 23 results could be seen as a warning before thestorm the North East is going to unleash in case NDA falls short of majority.

The primarily Naga-based political party had providedsupport to the N Biren Singh-led government with four MLAs in forming thegovernment.

Newmai continued that "there have been instances wheresome senior leaders…did not take them as alliance partner."

"As of now, we have not reached any conclusion anddecision" but what irked the NPF the most is that "there is norespect for one another" mainly because they have less legislatorssupporting the government.

Interestingly, he said that certain prosition were to be given while forming the government but sadly "it was never kept." He also maintained that despite being partners and considering the bigger parties as "elder brother" NPF does have principle and have been facing internal friction within the government.

He also accused that the government has "bluffthem."

"We have been patient for some two years" Newmaisaid adding the bigger party "looks down on smaller groups."

Still, as representatives of the people, "we desirerespect as given to other parties."

NPF with its four MLAs is part of the N Biren Singh-ledcoalition government.