Nagaland polls : BJP breaks 15-year-old alliance with NPF, allies with NDPP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday, 2 February, broke its 15-year-old alliance with the Naga People's Front (NPF) and forged a new one with Nationalist Democratic People's Party (NDPP).

The NDPP is a new party led by former chief minister Neiphiu Rio. The 50-year-old Rio was a member of the NPF before he decided to float his own party.

The decision was taken by BJP president Amit Shah in a meeting attended by Rio and BJP leaders from Nagaland.

As part of the alliance, the BJP will contest from 20 seats in the 60-seat assembly while NDPP will contest from the rest.

The announcement of the alliance comes



as Nagaland appears to be heading towards a political crisis with as many as 11 parties declaring that they will not contest the February 27 elections in the state.

All the dissenting parties, including the ruling Naga People's Front, agreed on 29 January to the demand of tribal bodies and civil society groups to resolve the protracted Naga political problem first.

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju announced the formation of the alliance on Saturday, 3 February, in Guwahati in Rio's presence. The official announcement comes hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 'Advantage Assam: Global Investors Summit 2018'.