Dr Lorho S Pfoze, former Lok Sabha MP from Manipur’s Outer constituency, has officially joined the National People’s Party (NPP), pledging to dedicate his future political efforts to tribal and indigenous unity in the Northeast. The 65-year-old leader, who had recently resigned from the Naga People’s Front (NPF), was welcomed into the NPP by its leadership at the party headquarters in Shillong.
Dr Lorho hails from the Mao Naga community in Senapati district. He represented Outer Manipur in the 17th Lok Sabha after winning the 2019 general election on an NPF ticket. His resignation from the NPF, tendered on September 11 citing “personal reasons,” opened the path for his induction into the NPP.
At the induction ceremony, Dr Lorho expressed his gratitude to the NPP leadership, emphasizing the need for solidarity among indigenous and tribal communities across the region. “We, as indigenous communities, must work together,” he said, invoking the legacy of late Purno Agitok Sangma as a guiding force for inclusivity and integrity in public life.
Welcoming Dr Lorho into the fold, NPP national president and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma described him as a respected figure across diverse communities in Manipur. Sangma praised Dr Pfoze’s honesty, transparency, and public service record, saying his inclusion would strengthen the party’s ability to represent Northeast aspirations.
The induction was attended by senior NPP leaders including National Working President James K. Sangma, Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, and several MLAs from Manipur.
Dr Lorho thanked his former party, the NPF, for its support in his earlier political journey but expressed that at this juncture he felt the need to align with the NPP to pursue broader goals of regional unity and development.
His move is seen in some quarters as a sign of evolving political alignments in Manipur, where issues of tribal identity, indigenous rights, and regional representation play a significant role. Observers note that for NPP, this addition could enhance its political influence in outer hill districts, and send a signal about the party’s commitment to being a platform for diverse groups.
