Archive · 3 Oct 2026
Five NPP MLAs Join Nagaland’s Ruling Naga People’s Front
Five lawmakers from the National People’s Party have joined the Naga People’s Front in Nagaland.
The NPF leads the state government.
After the move, it has 39 of the 60 seats in the Assembly.
The Assembly Secretariat says the change took effect on October 1.
The NPF says the lawmakers chose to join because they support Neiphiu Rio’s leadership and the party’s ideas.
An NPP leader says it was poaching, not a proper merger.
He also asked why the switch was needed when the government already had a majority.
This is the fourth major political realignment in Nagaland since 2025.
All five National People’s Party MLAs in Nagaland merged with the ruling Naga People’s Front.
The merger raises the NPF’s strength in the 60-member Assembly to 39; the BJP has 12 MLAs.
The Assembly Secretariat said the merger took effect on October 1 under the Constitution’s Tenth Schedule.
The NPF said the legislators joined voluntarily, citing Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio’s leadership and the party’s ideology.
NPP national vice-president Vevoyi D. Vadeo called the move “poaching” and questioned its necessity.
- Who
- Five Nagaland MLAs elected on National People’s Party tickets joined the Naga People’s Front.
- What
- The Assembly Secretariat notified their merger with the NPF, increasing its strength to 39 seats.
- When
- The Secretariat said the merger took effect on October 1; the report describes the announcement as occurring on Thursday and later refers to Friday.
- Where
- Nagaland, India.
- Why
- The NPF said the lawmakers joined voluntarily, impressed by Neiphiu Rio’s leadership and the party’s ideology; an NPP leader disputed the characterization.
NPF’s account
NPP’s objection
How to describe the move
NPF’s account
The NPF said the five MLAs voluntarily merged with the party, drawn by Neiphiu Rio’s leadership and its ideology.
NPP’s objection
NPP national vice-president Vevoyi D. Vadeo called the move “poaching,” arguing that a merger is between two parties and the MLAs had been elected on NPP tickets.
Whether the move was needed
NPF’s account
The NPF presented the legislators’ decision as a voluntary choice; the article gives no further NPF explanation on necessity.
NPP’s objection
Vadeo questioned the necessity because the NPF already had a majority with its pre-poll partner BJP, which has 12 MLAs.
- Assembly size
- 60 seats
- NPF strength after merger
- 39 MLAs
- NPP MLAs joining
- Five
- BJP strength
- 12 MLAs
- Effective date
- October 1, under the Tenth Schedule
- Other Assembly members
- Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and Republican Party of India (Athawale) have two MLAs each; Janata Dal (United) has one; four are Independents.
- Earlier realignments
- The report identifies three earlier major shifts since 2025: seven NCP MLAs joined the NDPP, the NDPP merged with the NPF, and the Rising People’s Party merged with the NPF.