Morung Express News
Dimapur | December 19
The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) announced that it has decided to start preparing for the Nagaland Assembly elections 2023. NPCC President, K Therie, making the announcement at a press conference on December 19 in Dimapur, said that the decision was on account of what he said was the Government of India displaying no political will to resolve the Indo-Naga political problem and rather opting for elections.
“It looks like Nagaland election is going to be held by the end of February 2023. Although people may be talking about Naga political solution… The Government of India has no political will. We apprehend there will be election. Therefore, Congress has decided to go ahead with the preparation of election,” said Therie.
He added that the Congress has also decided to put up a “secular front” to go up against the BJP and its allies. The imagined secular front would compose of “likeminded” parties, he said.
The NPF and JDU were two parties he named as likely allies, while stating that the former had supported the Congress in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls for the Nagaland Parliamentary Constituency. According to him, there are still secular-minded people and political parties that would like to work for a secular government minus the BJP in Nagaland.
While stating the commitment of the Congress is ensuring the BJP do not get a single seat in the Assembly, he said, “All the intending candidates should think seriously for the interest and welfare of the people and community, and not Hindutva interest.”
According to him, the present government is misleading the people by claiming that without the BJP they cannot run the government. On the other hand, he said that there are more states in the country where governments are comfortably running without the BJP.
Meanwhile, in the few BJP-ruled states, he said that there is persecution of minorities and the Prime Minister not doing anything about it. In Nagaland, he held that the Chief Minister is remaining silent on religious persecution and hate speech.
The Congress, he said, is not against Hindus but only wants equal respect for all religions and fight against Uniform Civil Code, Citizenship Amendment Act and see that freedom is given to each and everyone and a new secular government is installed in Nagaland.
Queried on the nature of the proposed ‘secular front,’ Therie said that discussions are on, while adding that an alliance often implies seat-sharing arrangement. “Any party that is not in alliance with the BJP are welcome,” he said.
