Likely to join the Saffron party
Morung Express News
Dimapur | January 21
A day after tendering resignation from all party responsibilities and primary membership of the Indian National Congress (INC), former Chief Minister, K.L. Chishi has said that he felt insulted over his inclusion as a member of Coordination Committee of the party for the forthcoming general elections in the State.
“I took it to be an insult to the injury for making me a member of Coordination Committee for 2018 Nagaland general elections,” he told media persons at his Chekiye residence in Dimapur on Sunday afternoon.
The former veteran Congressman also indicated that he was likely to join the BJP when he said that only a national party with daring determination can bring about final solution which is honourable to the Nagas. “Only national parties like INC and BJP can do it but with much regret, I must divulge that INC has no mind to bring about a final settlement to the Naga issue. I would rather suggest that it is only the BJP which has the guts to initiate and finalize the solution between the Government of India and the Naga people,” he added.
Chishi said there was no point for him to remain with INC which has a dream that can never be fulfilled and Nagas will be sailing in a dream ocean. “I had to take this very extreme step (resignation from INC), it was a painful step, I know it but I found no alternative but to quit for several reasons,” he added. Even as he spilled indications regarding which political party he would be joining to contest from 32 Atoizu A/C, Chishi evaded a direct question about which party to join and responded, “Things can change anytime in politics. I have not decided yet but I would choose a national party because Nagaland would require huge amount of money for all-round development, human resources development and youth upliftment.”
He said that a resource-less regional party could never promote the egos and ethos of Naga people and that only a national party could be relied upon.
Chishi said that the regional parties in Nagaland have belied themselves and cheated on Naga people at large. He described the current tenure of the NLA as the “worst five years in the history of Nagaland” with emptied state exchequer, robbing the funds meant for people and development, government servants left without salaries and wages, students denied their stipends etc.
He described it as “shameful” for leaders to often go to Kaziranga and operate from there for their selfish ends of toppling government.
However, Chishi also admitted that the State INC had its own infightings for one up-manship where everybody considered himself as an important person and could not fish anything out of troubled waters. He added that the NPCC had not been able to attend to the needs of the people for over a decade and it was not trying to build up its cadres. He said the current NPCC leadership has not been able to take due advantage of the situations.
The veteran politician who resigned as a government advocate to start his political career joined the United Democratic Front in 1975 and later joined INC in 1980 and successfully contested from Congress ticket in 1982 becoming the Finance Minister under S.C. Jamir’s Chief Ministership. He also served as the Chief Minister in 1990 for a month. Later, he founded the Nationalist Democratic Movement but merged with INC in 2004 and since then “I have not moved an inch to become a member of any other political party and remained with INC till yesterday afternoon.”
Asked whether he still aspired to be the Chief Minister, Chishi responded, “Ambitions never die.”
