To fight 2018 general elections
Morung Express News
Dimapur | June 21
With the objective of providing a suitable political platform to aspiring leadership and public participation towards preserving, protecting and promoting, in letter and in spirit, the inbuilt identity, autonomy and welfare of Nagaland State, a new political party under the nomenclature, Nagaland Congress was launched in Dimapur at Hotel Saramati on Tuesday.
Unlike the word, ‘Congress’ which is generally perceived as Indian National Congress, the Nagaland Congress is a regional party with “national in outlook and regional in content.”
Nagaland Congress was formed by like-minded senior politicians including ex-Ministers and ex-Parliamentary Secretaries most of whom were formerly members of the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee.
The newly launched party with a Naga Morung symbol in the centre of its flag is headed by Nillo Rengma as President, Z. Lohe as Treasurer, three vice presidents including Dako Phom, Prasielie Pienyu and Khuosatho and four general secretaries namely S. Supongmeren Jamir (Admn), Vaprumu Demo (Media & Spokesman), G.K. Rengma (Finance) and Dr. Roland Lotha (Protocol & Frontals).
Delivering keynote address, NC President, Nillo Rengma said that the party aimed to reform Nagaland, safeguard the rights of Nagas, to make it free from corruption and clean the electoral roll. He asserted that the NC would support the Church to make clean election a reality in the state.
Further, Nillo said that the NC would fully support the Indo-Naga peace process for early settlement which should be acceptable to all sections of the people. “NC will respect the sentiment of every section of community and extend solidarity as and when needed,” he added. Nillo also said that the party would strive for unification of all Naga inhabited areas under a single administrative unit, to protect the rights and privileges of minorities living in Nagaland and to promote and safeguard the tradition and rich cultural heritage of Nagas. He informed that the party would contest the 2018 state general elections. Launching the new party, ex-Speaker, NLA, Z. Lohe said that the need of the hour for Nagaland was “change.”
“The change can be brought about at the sincere and dedicated initiative of few humble leaders. But a change cannot become complete at the initiative of those leaders alone till positive responses come from the people,” he said.
Lohe maintained that Nagaland was in a “total mess” today since it is being managed in the manner of running a private firm. Short speeches were delivered by Dako Phom ex-Parliamentary Secretary, Prasielie Pienyu ex-candidate, G.K. Rengma ex-member Dimapur Town Committee and Dr. Roland Lotha ex-chairman NHHDC.
During the programme, Chairman, NC Constitution Drafting Committee, Joshua Sumi read out the constitution which was adopted and approved by the house. The headquater of Nagaland Congress will be in Dimapur.
Resignations
NPCC members, Joshua Sumi, Dako Phom and Dr. Roland Lotha has resigned from the Indian National Congress citing “arbitrary functioning” of NPCC president and “forcing the expulsion of 8 senior Congress leaders in November 2015.”
AICC member Joshua Sumi in his resignation letter to AICC President said, “the AICC and the one-man show of the NPCC under Therie has failed to read the pulse of the party men and women and has set the party on the road to further degradation.”
While Dako Phom and Dr. Roland Lotha in their resignation letter to NPCC President said they, “have lost all confidence in your leadership of the party since you are more concerned with vindictiveness and scant regard for others’ opinion.”
