Election with a human face

Dimapur, February 15 (MExN): In a very significant and healthy development, a collaboration of different churches in Tuensang today facilitated a closed-door meeting of all intending political candidates for different constituencies in the district,  evolved a ‘common development agenda and create mutual space to agree on ground rules for the ensuing election’.

A press release issued by “press secretary of collaboration of ECS, YBBA, CBCT and KBCA”, James informed that today’s meeting focused on a common development agenda and resolved to form a ‘Tuensang Legislatures Forum’ comprising of all elected members for joint development programmes. “Whatever the party affiliation, the forum will collectively work to focus in road and communication, education, social welfare schemes, HIV/AIDS, PDS, employment and other infrastructural development activities,” it stated. 

The release also disclosed that an ‘installation service for elected members of “eastern” Nagaland at Kohima will be organised once the formation of government is completed. The four executive secretaries along with Phom Lempong and Konyak Bangchum will arrange for the same, the release added. 

The release informed that the candidates unanimously agreed that there would be no youth camps during the elections, ‘no booth-rigging, no vote trading and no tearing down of banners and posters.’ There would also be no procession at night and disturbance during rallies and public meetings of the opponents. There would also be no use of fire arms and pelting of stones, no intimation and attack on opponent’s camps, but encourage tolerance in party members to be open to opponents opinion. The candidates even agreed to prohibit the use of alcohol. 

“The joint initiative of the ECS, YBBA, CBLT, KBCA and USBLA was highly appreciated by the candidates and encouraged the Church to take the resolution to the people, to the extend that they visit the various camps to shed awareness on the resolutions,” the release stated. The details of the development agenda was circulated during the meeting, on which the house resolved to deliberate during the installation service to be conducted in Kohima. The joint initiative has been undertaken by Eleutheros Christian Society (ECS), Yimchungrü (YBBA), Chang Baptist Church Association (CBCT), and the Khiamniungan Baptist Church Association (KBCA).