Kohima, Sep 6 (IANS) Possible political realignment unfolded in Nagaland with Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and Naga People’s Front (NPF) are inching closer to a merger.

Dominated by the NDPP, the NPF and BJP are the partners of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) government in Nagaland.

NPF president Apong Pongener on Saturday has offered to resign from the top party post making way for Chief Minister and the NDPP leader Neiphiu Rio to take over.

An NPF leader said that internal parleys are on and both sides are talking about the merger proposal.

Rio, along with party colleague K. Therie, had left the Congress in 2002 to form the NPF, then known as Nagaland People’s Front, which was later renamed as the Naga People’s Front (NPF).

Ahead of Assembly polls in 2018, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio resigned from NPF and joined the NDPP in 2017.

NDPP currently has 32 MLAs in the 60-member House and if the two regional parties merged the strength would rise to 34 as the NPF has two legislators.

“Leaders of both the Naga parties (NDDP and NPF) wanted to retain the NPF identity and symbol in recognition of its historic legacy and emotional connection with the Naga people. The merger would consolidate the regional front, provide stability to the ruling dispensation and project a stronger collective voice on the Naga political issue,” an NPF leader said.

Meanwhile, NDPP President Chingwang Konyak on Saturday said that the Central Executive Board (CEB) meeting would be held on September 12 at the party headquarters in Kohima.

The NDPP president has directed all members of the central executive board to attend the meeting.

In May this year all seven NCP MLAs belonging to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar-led faction in Nagaland joined the ruling NDPP, with this chief minister Rio-led party an absolute majority in the 60-member Assembly.

NDPP numbers have increased from 25 to 32. Apart from 32 NDPP and 12 BJP MLAs, the state assembly has five National People’s Party (NPP) legislators, two members each of the LJP (Ram Vilas), Naga People’s Front and RPI (Athawale), a Janata Dal (United) MLA and four Independents. The NPP is led by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma.

–IANS

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