DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 26 (MExN): Additional Chief Secretary and Commissioner of Nagaland, TN Mannen is expected to face some heat with the NPF General Secretary-Spokesperson Akang, accusing him of “criminal activities” under the protection of his government office. In what could be a most damaging allegation to the reputation of the bureaucrat, Akang has accused Mannen of rampant misuse of his influence as the head of the GBs and DBs to gain political mileage for his ambition to contest in the coming State Assembly election from 23 Impur A/C.
Referring to Sunday’s incident where Mannen and Akang’s supporters from their native village, Longjang were involved in a clash, resulting in the ransacking of the latter’s residence, Akang said the Commissioner was to be held responsible as the mob of youngsters had been under the influence of alcohol that had been supplied by Mannen. Moreover, Mannen has been accused of harboring the same people responsible for the said menace in his residential home and even deploying about 50 IRB personnel to guard his house for fear of retaliation from Akang’s supporters.
It may be mentioned that both Akang and Mannen are vying from the same village, Longjang for the coming elections and the village council is said to have endorsed the candidature of Mannen.
However Akang says that the council is now divided. In a telephonic interview to The Morung Express, Akang refuted a previous statement of the Longjang village council that Mannen had been the first one to approach them on the issue of election. The NPF leader said that he had made his intentions known since December 2006 and had chosen to wait until the wedding of his two sons and to deal with some personal work before approaching the council on August 24 and the Lanu Phutu Council on August 25.
Coming out strongly against the Commissioner for involving in politics while still in office, Akang hit out at Mannen and said that the sanctity of the office was destroyed. Akang disclosed that he had even questioned the Chief Minister on Mannen deploying forces to guard his house and asked Rio if Mannen was the head of the state. He also disclosed that the Home Minister had been appraised on the matter who Akang said had been unaware of what was going on. “I want to watch and see how the State, the Government of India will think and act on its servant”, he said adding that such a practice must be nipped in the bud otherwise “tomorrow every Secretary, every Commissioner will play politics”.
The NPF General Secretary also denied having abandoned plans to contest the election as revealed by Mannen in an earlier interview to The Morung express. Akang disclosed that he had talked with Mannen in June and asked the Commissioner not to contest the next election as he (Akang) wished to contest for just one term. He said that Mannen’s brother had been an MLA for 16 years as a result others from the village were unable to contest even if they had the desire to do so. Therefore, Akang said that he had asked Mannen to give some other person of the village the opportunity this time so that he (Mannen) could take the next term but Mannen had not given a ‘good reply’.
Both Mannen and Akang are said to be vying for the NPF ticket but according to the spokesperson, Mannen would take some time to decide on the party. Akang said that he was the most likely person to be given the NPF ticket as he was the most deserving.
