Morung Express News
Kohima | March 24
Concluding the discussion on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s Address, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio expressed hope that a healthy democracy is practiced with a strong Opposition to serve the people better.
Replying to the criticisms on the BJP-NDPP alliance and seat sharing, Rio asserted that the alliance is based on well-defined political and development goals and is a new system which is “much better” and “more cohesive” in the functioning. “Unless we have seat sharing we will have a lot of misunderstanding,” he said.
On atrocities against Christians, Rio condemned such atrocities and discrimination of minorities. However, he reminded the Opposition to be “aware of the fact and not try to politicize such issues and try to mislead the public.”
With regard to NPF’s statement on how he can repair the roads in sixty days when there is no money, Rio replied, “I think that is a statement of self exposing. The money is all exhausted. Why was money not judiciously used? And why the government of that day did not prioritize the needs of the people or hear the cry of the people?”
“Whatever wrong the previous government did and whatever they could not do, we are trying to do which are right and whatever is not right, we are going to change. It is always healthy to have a strong opposition to criticize, to point out our mistakes of the government and to keep the Treasury bench on their toes so that they perform for the better,” added the CM.
While appreciating the work of the ECI, CEO, administration, security forces for the successful conduct of elections, Rio also admitted that in the process so many EVMs were spoiled. “Not only the NPF candidates, but there were also complaints from NDPP and BJP and others. Definitely this might have affected not only one party but the other parties too.”
On TR Zeliang’s comment on the motto of NDPP which was found to be the motto of one school in Kohima (which was widely circulated on WhatsApp), Rio replied, “For us it is a policy of deeds not words. We have not taken these words from anybody but from our own wisdom.”
Reminding that he was in NPF for three consecutive terms, Rio stated that many similarities will be found in the present government.
