I won't put too much blame on the scholar couple and their associates including Nicole Seah. They are new to the game, and collectively bought into the hype about KJ being the "messiah", son of the great JBJ, well educated, former hedge fund manager, outstanding credentials, technocrat, and a tons of superlatives that even the MSM was dishing out.
When you have built up that kind of expectation, you naturally try to make things work even though you know something is rotting and even the most staunch keyboard cyber warrior hesistates to say a pipsqueak about the "messiah" for fear of being flamed by a thousand grass growers. The NSP folks really tried to endure all the way to the bitter end, but the end pt was reached just before GE came around. Whether good or bad timing, up to you to decide.
M-K was GMS's doing. Obviously in politics you can't have your way every time. He could not control himself and blew it out of proportion, a sign of mental weakness I would say. Being 10 years in the fray, working literally shoulder to shoulder with Sec gens, chairperson, volunteers on the ground, one would think he had developed some measure of self control as well as ability to anticipate such outcomes and be mentally prepared. Very disappointed he turned M-K into political theatre when he obviously knew he was not going to get the cake from the start. Waste of time, energy, and goodwill.
You can take just two - Tony and Hazel, and see the problems arising from the lack of acumen.
First, they were overexposed to the media. By the time they left RP and joined NSP, they were covered on ST at least 3 times. Media did not show interest in them during 9 days. We can refer how WP hid CSM and Yee JJ and how much news was made.
Second, it's not everyday that people choose to pull a mass resignation just a few months before GE. The scholars joined in 2009 and did not need 2 years to find out about KJ.
Third, they played a fool on the Moulmein Kallang episode, which added to delay in walking ground.
Even their flyers went to the wrong ward in Sembawang.
Why do you think the pathetic results for two scholars and a touted team. The team ranked 12th worst in results among 26 constituencies despite scholars and NSP chief (not the SG). Plus good composition of races and gender.