Our Correspondent
Kohima | March 20
INC candidate KV Pusa today said that his main priority will be to work for the welfare of the people, development of ENPO areas and to stress mainly on prosperity, secularism and peace.
He told this to media persons after filing his nomination for Lok Sabha polls this afternoon at the office of the Commissioner Nagaland.
Responding to claims made by NPF president that Congress members are also supporting the DAN candidate, he said Congress and NPF are two different entities.
“We have our own clear cut policy and they have their own,” he said and "appealed" the NPF not to indulge in the internal affairs of the Congress party.
On being asked whether any central leaders are coming for campaign in the state, Pusa said they have specifically requested the AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi to come for campaign.
CLP leader Tokheho, who accompanied Pusa for filing of nomination said the visit of Rahul Gandhi to Kohima for campaign has been confirmed, but date is yet to be finalized.
On allegations made by chief minister Neiphiu Rio that Congress is not for Nagas, Pusa asserted that Congress party is very much for the Nagas, adding "we do not know where he (Rio) is drawing the conclusion that we are against the Nagas." He continued that branding Congress as anti-Naga is unacceptable.
“If we look back to history, we got statehood during Congress regime. We got first ceasefire between the Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) and Government of India during Congress regime immediately after the statehood on 6th September 1964. There was again ceasefire between GoI and NSCN (IM) in 1997 during Congress regime headed by Dr. Jamir. Then 2002 also ceasefire was there between NSCN (K) and GoI during Congress regime,” Tokheho said adding, they (NPF) cannot say that Congress had not done anything for the Nagas.
He added that in 2010-11, UPA government gave Rs. 712 crore to implement 6th ROP whereas in 2001, the Congress in the state had asked for financial assistance, but did not receive even a rupee to implement 5th ROP. He added that in 10 years, “we left only Rs. 365 crore deficit.” Tokheho said that in case he (Rio) wins, he will be leaving Nagaland with more than Rs. 2000 crore deficit.
Ex-MP Wangyuh Konyak said that Rio has two point agendas to contest Lok Sabha election. First, he said, Rio wants to become minister if NDA comes to power in Delhi. Secondly, Rio cannot run the government because there is no money at all, adding that the deficit is more than Rs. 2000 crore that is why “he wants to run away.”
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