New Delhi: In the first set back to the regional parties in the Northeast, its convenor and former Nagaland Chief Mininster, Neiphiu Rio has resigned as Convenor of North East Regional Party Forum (NERPF) because of the front’s poor performance and disunited stand.
In a letter addressed to Atul Bora, Co-Convener of the NERPF, Rio accepted responsibility for certain “setbacks” faced by the NERPF.
He stated that the failure of the AGP-BJP alliance to materialize and the Peoples’ Part of Arunachal voting against the NDA in the Rajya Sabha elections “have contradicted the stand of the NERPF in supporting the NDA.”
Rio stated that as Convener of the front, he had received “full fledged support and confidence” from all affiliates of the front, which included ten political parties from all the North Eastern states.
Rio added that the NERPF had declared its support to the NDA before the Lok Sabha elections on March 27 at Dimapur in presence of Bijoya Chakraborty, National Vice President, BJP. In turn, he stated that the NERPF has been “well received by the NDA leaders.”
Rio said that the formation of the NERPF in 2013 has highlighted the problems and issues concerning all sections of the people across the entire region.
He added that the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) “needs to be lauded for taking the initiative in formation of the front.”
Rio informed that a delegation from the NERPF had met the President and Prime Minister of India and urged upon the Government of India to resolve all outstanding issues of the North Eastern region.
The Nagaland MP asserted that the front has “succeeded in bringing the problems of the region to the attention of the Government of India and need to resolve these issues in the greater interest of the nation.”
Despite tendering his resignation, Rio assured that he would extend his cooperation and support for “any matter that is in the interest of the people of the region and the country in the years to come.”
He further expressed confidence that NERPF Co-convener, Atul Bora would be able to provide “able leadership in whatever capacity for the people of Assam and the region.”
