GUWAHATI: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar has accepted the proposal of the party’s Nagaland MLAs to join the Neiphiu Rio government but there is no indication from the BJP-NDPP (Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party) ruling coalition to accommodate any opposition parties.
The NCP had the best performance among the opposition parties, winning seven of the 12 seats it contested in the recently held assembly elections. Its remaining five candidates also bagged good numbers of votes.
During the first meeting of NCP’s Nagaland legislature party on March 4 in Kohima, there was a discussion on whether the party should be a part of the government or it will play the role of main opposition.
The NCP said the newly-elected MLAs and its local unit were of the opinion the party must be a part of the government in the larger interest of the state and the good relationship that its MLAs share with Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio of the NDPP.
“This was left to NCP’s honourable national president Sharad Pawar to be a part or not to be a part of Nagaland government. After listening to the party’s Northeast in-charge on Tuesday morning, he took a decision to accept the leadership of Mr Neiphiu Rio in the larger interest of Nagaland,” the party said in a statement.
Several other opposition parties are willing to join the ruling coalition but Rio has not made any commitment so far.