Bonnie Konyak
Dimapur | June 10
The Congress has denied any charges of the party’s involvement in the recent campaign of dissident NPF MLAs led by Z. Obed and K. Therie to oust Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and forming of an alternative DAN government. Speaking exclusively to The Morung Express, senior party leader and former Member of Parliament Chingwang Konyak while denying the charges said that the recent happenings was the internal affair of the NPF adding that he had made a rejoinder in a local daily to the news item alleging him of having accompanied Z. Obed and his group to meet the Governor. “We don’t want to burn our finger by involving in their internal matter”, Chingwang said. He however implied that if the rebel group managed to bring out something substantial, and the matter was brought to the Assembly, then the Congress would lend support.
Reasserting the “Open Door” policy of the Congress party, the senior Congress MLA said that anyone who wanted to join the party without pre-conditions and accepted the ideologies of the party, was always welcomed. Making this comment at the backdrop of the recent episode of dissident arising within the NPF party, Chingwang said that though the party would study the merit of each case, anyone willing to join the Congress without any preconditions would be welcomed.
Defending the call of the Congress for President Rule, Chingwang said that there was a clear law and order problem in the State, and with this new problem within the NPF, the government would not think of the public welfare but would be engrossed in retaining power.
There he asserted that the call for President Rule had been their duty and now it was up to the Governor to study the matter and act accordingly.
On being asked of S.C.Jamir being considered for the Vice President, Chingwang said that it just a case of people’s speculation on the opinion that a tribal should be considered as the President or Vice President of India. “The matter had been discussed for four or five weeks now but it is not Jamir specifically but a tribal. This may materialize and it may not”, he said while adding that if the people were willing, Jamir would do well as the Vice President as he was capable, experienced and a senior.
On distribution of party tickets for the coming election, Chingwang said that the normal procedure of recommendations from the ACC, DCC etc would be followed. He however said that the party would choose the winning candidates keeping in mind the loyalty factor. When asked of the new party which was formed a few days ago, Chingwang said that he was not able to comment since it was a new party and they were yet to see UNDP’s activities. He however said that the party leaders were his old friends who were former Congressmen and said, “I can only wish them best of luck”, leaving the question of an alliance with the UNDP to public speculation.
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