NPF house in chaos: Shurhozelie 'wounded' retirement

 NPF house in chaos: Shurhozelie 'wounded' retirement

Strapline: Azo is candid; newsmaker Thenucho says "I am in poultry farm" 

Kohima 

Did Cock veto 'Globe' power ? Well that's consolation for outgoing NPF Chief Shurhozelie. 

Tryst with destiny cannot be postponed for ever. Veteran regionalist Shurhozelie finally relinquished the prized NPF president's office on Oct 21 making way for low profile Apong Pongener to take charge.

Phek MLA K. Azo Nienu sounded like an injured tiger in the entire bargain as he said - "I voluntarily withdrew my candidature as I do not want my weak NPF party become weaker".

But he poured out his grievances mostly against Shurhozelie though he did not take any name. Amid his speech some of his supporters clapped and one of them even whispered -- "It is a disgraceful retirement by the longest serving president".

Some party workers protested Shurhozelie's decision to nominate former Assembly Speaker Thenucho as one of the Working presidents. Incidentally Thenucho gave the big occasion a miss. He seemed not very keen on affairs related to the Cock party. When contacted over phone, he told this journalist -- "I am not aware of what all is happening politically...I am busy at my poultry farm".

Shurhozelie reprimanded those raising slogans and walking out of the venue and said in his characteristic mild manner; "gentlemen we are in a meeting and we are not on the streets".

In his brief address, Shurhozelie apologised more than once saying maybe he has hurt people in discharge of his duties as the party chief. "I have suspended many from the party during my time not on any ground of grudge but purely on party policy and principle". This was an important political message vis 2017 when the then Lok Sabha MP Neiphiu Rio was almost pushed to the wall and that actually led to the floating of NDPP. 

In his address, Azo Nienu said, "There is a positive side to my withdrawal as candidate for party president....I will save money....few crores...in next few years". He also volunteered to advise -- "Those who supported Apong Pongener as president should also extend him financial and all types of help". 

For his part, Mr Shurhozelie had his dosages of observations about money but his words sounded a critique of NDPP-BJP dispensation. 

"Money is a great servant and a bad master," said the outgoing NPF chief Shurhozelie in his farewell presidential address at the party's convention.

"The NPF is the party of the people as its name indicates. Therefore, if realisation is there in true   sense, i would like to invite all our old friends to come back home again if they want to regain their rightful place in the society and in the party," these words were directed towards 21 now infamous detectors of 2022. He did point out not all detectors had happy ending under new "masters". 

"Out of 21 MLAs, 14 of them were axed by their masters....out of 7 who took NDPP ticket, four faced defeat".

Azo also said in the interest of the party, he would share some "bitter facts". In fact he said, "Today I thought I will address a jampacked hall....but it is only half packed...that's why I am saying it is a reality today we are weak and we cannot allow it to become weaker".

At one point he said, "..few years back everybody was fighting for party ticket....but at later stage we saw few takers. In 2023, we had to literally beg people to take our ticket."

One striking difference between Azo Nienu and his MLA colleague Achumbemo Kikon, NPF secretary general, also came to the fore.

Azo said while Kikon said NPF voting percentage in February polls was around 7 percent; he went on to add: "According to my Google and Wikipedia ...it is 1.34 percentage".

In short, all did not seem too well in the Cock party. It all depends on how new president Mr Apong steers the ship which has many holes.

Of course, the worse challenge will be in the form of 'Globe players' eyeing the innocuous Cock.

NPF former Secretary General Chubatemjen Ao on Saturday shared the stories when Cock had almost vanished as a party symbol as the Election Commission had decided to do away with all animals and birds as symbols. But Cock along with other such symbols survived nationwide.

That battle was seemingly easier. This time the threat to Cock is on a different plane and pattern-- the old and new owners want to 'win' Cock...but what about the ideologies likes of A Kevichusa and Vizol had upheld.