Rising People's Party Merges into NPF to Boost Naga Unity

Kohima: The Rising People’s Party officially folded into the Naga People’s Front during a ceremony in Kohima on Saturday. Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, who serves as NPF president, hailed the move as a major step toward regional unity. He believes this is more than just a political shift.

The RPP started in 2020 but failed to win any seats in the 2023 Assembly elections. Now, party leader Joel Naga and his team hold new roles within the NPF structure. Rio described the merger as "the coming together of people, ideas, experiences and aspirations in the larger interest of the Naga community."

Rio insisted that the long-standing Naga political issue remains the top priority for his government and the NPF. He pushed for emotional integration among Nagas across Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Myanmar. He argued that administrative boundaries should not tear apart shared history or cultural ties.

The government maintains an opposition-less status to better tackle the peace process. Rio noted the NPF alliance with the BJP serves to speed up development while protecting local Christian values and traditions. The party now looks toward upcoming elections in Manipur to further its goal of bringing Nagas together under a common platform.