Nagaland: NDPP Mon Unit President, GS Suspended

The president of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) in Nagaland, Khoiwang Wangsa and general secretary M Phongwang from Mon district in the state, were placed under suspension with immediate effect, several reports emerged on Monday.

As per the reports, Wangsa and Phongwang were placed under suspension due to their alleged indiscipline. A notice from NDPP mentioned that they had acted “in contravention to the party’s directive”.

The notice read, “Mr. Khoiwang Wangsa, President, NDPP Mon region and Mr. M. Phongwang, General Secretary, NDPP Mon region are hereby placed under immediate suspension from the party for acting in contravention of party’s directive and for indisciplinary conduct.”

With Neiphiu Rio set to be sworn in on March 7 to continue his role as the Chief Minister of Nagaland, leaders of the Mon district unit of NDPP and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded that three of their elected MLAs be handed charge of key portfolios in the new state government.

The leaders of both the parties from Mon district have urged their respective party top brasses to allot the portfolio of home department to Tizit MLA P Paiwang Konyak, family welfare department to Tapi MLA Noke Wangnao, and the roads and bridges department to Tehok MLA CL John, in a letter addressed to the incumbent Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and BJP national general secretary and Northeast co-convenor Rituraj Sinha.

It may be noted that the NDPP-BJP coalition had won by a clear majority in the recently concluded elections for the 14^th Nagaland assembly, with NDPP winning 25 seats and BJP securing 13. The formation of government in Nagaland will mark the second successive term for the NDPP-BJP alliance in the state.

The Mon district unit’s demand of key portfolios in the new government for their elected MLAs has now put pressure on the party leadership to address the matter ahead of the formation of the government.

However, it now remains to be seen whether the parties will entertain and give in or reject their demands as they form the government.