Kohima, Jan. 20: In a severe jolt to the ruling Congress in Nagaland ahead of the February Assembly elections, two senior leaders ? higher education minister T. Chuba and PCC vice-president Imkong Inchem ? quit the party today.
While Chuba joined the Nagaland People?s Front (NPF), Imkong is yet to announce his future plans. None of the leaders were, however, available for comments.
The NPF is part of the BJP-led ?Nagaland Democratic Alliance?, constituted with the single agenda of toppling chief minister S.C. Jamir and installing a ?pro-talks? government.
Former Nagaland chief minister and BJP national executive member, Hokishe Sema, will lead the alliance in the February 26 elections.
Congress sources said both leaders tendered their resignations at the chief minister?s residence this morning. ?The Congress? loss is the NPF?s gain. Chuba has joined us. But Imkong is yet to contact us,? NPF leader Neiphiu Rio told The Telegraph here.
Rio, who was the second in command in the Jamir government, was the first to quit the party in the run-up to the elections in September charging the chief minister with ?acting against the interests of the Nagas?.
Rocked by the twin resignations, Congress leaders, including working president Hokheto Sumi, expressed surprise at the incident. Sumi said the Congress election committee had discussed the matter this afternoon. ?We are surprised. Chuba knew he would not get a ticket so he might have wanted contacts from somewhere,? he said. However, Sumi said it was a ?sad departure? of a senior Congressman like Imknong, who had not cited any reason.
A senior Congressman and former faculty of the political science of Gauhati University, Chuba was the founder president of the Nagaland Students? Federation. He was first elected as an Independent from the 25 Impur constituency in Mokokchung district in 1987. Since then, he has been contesting on Congress tickets and was the art and culture minister in 1998.
Imkong has been president of the Mokokchung district Congress and vice-president of the Nagaland PCC at least twice.
Jamir, who will become the first Nagaland chief minister to complete two terms in office, has claimed that the Opposition was hand-in-glove with the NSCN (I-M) and said several Opposition leaders were camping in New Delhi to meet Isak Chisi Swu and Th. Muivah. ?This time, the elections will be between Indian nationalism and secessionism,? Jamir had told The Telegraph following Sema?s appointment.