Keep the spirit of coalition alive: TR

National BJP President launches the formation of NEDA in Guwahati

DIMAPUR, JULY 13 (MExN): Nagaland Chief Minister, TR Zeliang on Wednesday appealed to all political parties under North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) to keep the spirit of coalition alive. Zeliang said when like-minded political parties get together and work for the over-all development of the respective States, the North East Region would develop at par with the rest of the country.  

A press statement from Media Cell, CMO said Zeliang, in his address during the launching ceremony of the NEDA at Guwahati, recalled how in 2004 some BJP legislators in Nagaland merged with his party the NPF and said, “I realised that it was not the right thing.”

“No matter how small or big our coalition partners are, we should keep the spirit of coalition alive and should not attempt to lure them to merge with one’s political party. This is not a healthy development in this era of coalition politics,” he said. 

“As coalition partners in few crucial North-eastern States, the BJP and other regional parties should respect and honor each other in order to strengthen the coalition and also to ensure smooth function of the coalition governments, Zeliang added.  

Zeliang also went on to cite practical difficulties the States of the region face presently owing to defective funding pattern and pointed out that instead of hiking up the annual funds for the region, the fund allocation has been diminishing over the years.  

“Moreover, rather than have separate sources of funds such as NEC, NLCPR and DoNER, it would be most convenient to have the funds for the region sanctioned to NEC directly from source,” he said.  

Earlier in the day, BJP President Amit Shah launched the NEDA by lighting the traditional lamp.  

NEDA consists of the BJP, the NPF, the AGP, the Bodoland People’s Front, Ganashakti, Mizo National Front, United Democratic Party (Meghalaya), Sikkim Democratic Party, Arunachal People’s Party and the National People’s Party (Meghalaya)  

BJP President pledge to set up Hindi learning institutes in all district HQ

Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang revealed today at the launching of NEDA at Guwahati that while sharing the dais with BJP President Amit Shah, he confessed that he can’t speak Hindi because the Government of India did not make serious attempts to introduce Hindi as a subject in schools during the 1960s and 1970s.

  “Do not blame me for being unable to speak Hindi, blame the Government of India! If Mr Shah can teach me how to speak Hindi, I can teach him how to get rid of the Congress party in the States,” he said and revealed that when he told the BJP President this while interacting earlier in the morning, the latter promised to set up Hindi Learning Institutes in all the district headquarters in Nagaland.  

Zeliang said Nagaland Government will soon prepare a proposal for the same and put up for the approval of, and sanction from, the Government of India.