Kohima: Taking a strong stand against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019, as many as 22 members, some even of senior level, of the Nagaland state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) left the party and joined the opposition Naga People’s Front (NPF) at a ceremony held in Dimapur on Tuesday.

Giving a major boost to the Opposition party, the former BJP leaders were welcomed by the NPF president, Dr Shürhozelie Liezietsu, during the occasion. It is expected that more such right-thinking leaders will join the party soon, Liezietsu said in a press statement.

While welcoming the BJP leaders to the NPF fold, Dr Shürhozelie said that they have taken the right decision at the right time and right moment. He admitted that the NPF, though being in the Opposition today, holds the unique identity of the Naga people and claimed that the party did not give birth just to fight for the election but to represent the Naga people. “Many regional political parties came into being and when they are defeated, the party vanished,” he said, adding that NPF will be there till the Naga people exist.

The president was also of the view that although the NPF is in Opposition today, it was temporary and said that NFP never compromises on its ideology for being in power or in Opposition, it will stand for the people.

Among the 22 senior BJP leaders, who have decided to desert the party and join the NPF, include convenor of the law and legal affairs for the Nagaland state, Toshi Longkumer; and former state president of the BJP’s minority cell, Mukibur Rahman, among others.

During the occasion, Rahman said that one of the main reasons for the state BJP leaders to leave the party was the introduction of the CAA and stated that sooner or later the Act will affect the people, particularly the Northeast region.

He also asserted that they joined the NPF as the party is tooth and nail against the CAA and is working hard to protect the identity of the people. He also said that with the introduction of the CAA, the whole Northeast region is at risk as uncountable numbers of illegal immigrants will make their entry to the region soon and the ILP is not going to stop them from entering to our state, he added.