Mokokchung, February 10 (MExN): Indenting NPF candidate for the 26 Aonglenden Assembly Constituency, Toshipokba today expressed his plans if he is elected as the people’s representative from the constituency; he said that he will look forward for youth employment and the general development of the whole constituency while also work for the whole Naga people.
Interacting with some media persons at his private residence here today, the intending candidate Toshipokba, who hails from Ungma village, said that many MLAs and ministers from Ungma village has come and have done great works for the constituency, however there are still many works to be done, and therefore he is planning to contest the elections.
Interestingly, there are two other intending candidates vying for the NPF ticket to contest in the forthcoming by-election. The dates for the election is yet to be declared, but as with any other election process in Nagaland, the defection and resignation of party workers has already begun as can be seen in the daily papers. So far, the defections are mostly from the Congress camp (as per the advertisement in the dailies) who declared their support to the NPF intending candidate, Toshipokba. However, it is not clear as to who will get the NPF party ticket. The decision lies with the NPF higher officials.
“I don’t see any reason why I should not get the NPF party ticket,” said the 51 year old first class contractor turned politician. He maintained that the Neiphiu Rio led DAN Government is doing excellent work for the whole Nagaland for the past seven years; it was because of this he contested in the 2008 Assembly elections on NPF ticket though he could not win the seat.
However, he expressed hope that this by-election would be different from the last election since ‘the people of 26 Aonglenden Assembly Constituency have come to realize the good works of the DAN Government led by Neiphiu Rio, the chief minister’.
Party workers at the press conference asserted that it was Toshipokba who popularized the NPF party at Aonglenden constituency, and that he should get the party ticket.
Toshipokba when asked a direct question by one media person as to what he would do in case he was denied the party ticket averted a direct reply. He said that the NPF Mokokchung division had a meeting yesterday where the three intending NPF candidates pledged that they would not part ways even if they were denied the party ticket. But he expressed his strong feeling that he should get the party ticket for this by-election. He said that he will go by the ‘situation’ and the ‘opinion of the public’.
Nonetheless, he said that three intending candidates vying for the NPF ticket is a ‘good significance, since it shows the popularity of the regional party in the constituency.
After the press conference, the ”NPF Ungma (Yimlang) Jenangsanger” youths declared their resolve to support Toshipokba. They strongly asserted that Toshipkba should get the NPF ticket and that the NPF higher ups should award the party ticket to him.
It may be noted here that the 26 Aonglenden A/C is considered as a Congress bastion, it is the home constituency of former Chief Minister, Dr SC Jamir. The last MLA from this constituency, Nungshizenba was also a veteran Congress politician; he passed away last November. So far, the Congress party is keeping silence about its candidature.
However, political observers maintain that this by-election will be a straight fight between the NPF and Congress parties; the prestige of both these parties is at stake, and if NPF wins this election then it will be a great slap on the Congress party and if Congress wins then it can relay a message that it is still a force to reckon with. The dates are yet to be declared, but the election campaign is now starting. Even the NPF party has appointed Home Minister Imkong L Imchen as the party in-charge for the NPF party. Political observes have one thing in common – this will be a hot contest between the two parties.
Interacting with some media persons at his private residence here today, the intending candidate Toshipokba, who hails from Ungma village, said that many MLAs and ministers from Ungma village has come and have done great works for the constituency, however there are still many works to be done, and therefore he is planning to contest the elections.
Interestingly, there are two other intending candidates vying for the NPF ticket to contest in the forthcoming by-election. The dates for the election is yet to be declared, but as with any other election process in Nagaland, the defection and resignation of party workers has already begun as can be seen in the daily papers. So far, the defections are mostly from the Congress camp (as per the advertisement in the dailies) who declared their support to the NPF intending candidate, Toshipokba. However, it is not clear as to who will get the NPF party ticket. The decision lies with the NPF higher officials.
“I don’t see any reason why I should not get the NPF party ticket,” said the 51 year old first class contractor turned politician. He maintained that the Neiphiu Rio led DAN Government is doing excellent work for the whole Nagaland for the past seven years; it was because of this he contested in the 2008 Assembly elections on NPF ticket though he could not win the seat.
However, he expressed hope that this by-election would be different from the last election since ‘the people of 26 Aonglenden Assembly Constituency have come to realize the good works of the DAN Government led by Neiphiu Rio, the chief minister’.
Party workers at the press conference asserted that it was Toshipokba who popularized the NPF party at Aonglenden constituency, and that he should get the party ticket.
Toshipokba when asked a direct question by one media person as to what he would do in case he was denied the party ticket averted a direct reply. He said that the NPF Mokokchung division had a meeting yesterday where the three intending NPF candidates pledged that they would not part ways even if they were denied the party ticket. But he expressed his strong feeling that he should get the party ticket for this by-election. He said that he will go by the ‘situation’ and the ‘opinion of the public’.
Nonetheless, he said that three intending candidates vying for the NPF ticket is a ‘good significance, since it shows the popularity of the regional party in the constituency.
After the press conference, the ”NPF Ungma (Yimlang) Jenangsanger” youths declared their resolve to support Toshipokba. They strongly asserted that Toshipkba should get the NPF ticket and that the NPF higher ups should award the party ticket to him.
It may be noted here that the 26 Aonglenden A/C is considered as a Congress bastion, it is the home constituency of former Chief Minister, Dr SC Jamir. The last MLA from this constituency, Nungshizenba was also a veteran Congress politician; he passed away last November. So far, the Congress party is keeping silence about its candidature.
However, political observers maintain that this by-election will be a straight fight between the NPF and Congress parties; the prestige of both these parties is at stake, and if NPF wins this election then it will be a great slap on the Congress party and if Congress wins then it can relay a message that it is still a force to reckon with. The dates are yet to be declared, but the election campaign is now starting. Even the NPF party has appointed Home Minister Imkong L Imchen as the party in-charge for the NPF party. Political observes have one thing in common – this will be a hot contest between the two parties.
