Mokokchung, June 9 (MExN): Against the backdrop of the NPCC tirade against Home Minister Imkong L Imchen, especially after the by-election in Aonglenden, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio came out in support of his colleague and hit out at the Congress party for personally the attacking the Home Minister.
Standing by the Home Minister at a programme at Longkhum on Wednesday, Rio articulated that the Congress party should respect the mandate of the people in the May 7 by-election where NPF candidate Toshipokba Longkumer was elected. He said that the elections are over and blasted the Congress for singling out Imkong L Imchen and attacking him personally, which has been widely reported in the local media. It must be pointed out that a paper war had been going on between the NPCC and the Home Minister (the NPF party has naturally been dragged in too) in the aftermath of the May 7, 2011 by-election.
Saying that Imchen was the campaign director in the last by-election, Rio said the election was a fight between political parties and between party ideologies and said that the Congress should not attack only the Home Minister. The chief minister said that the election was a party issue and the NPF party was behind the home minister. “It is party…and we all stand by him (Imkong L Imchen)”, the Chief Minister declared.
Later on the same day at Ungma at a civic reception, Rio repeated the same words. He added that the Home Minister had personally replied to the Congress accusations, so did the NPF party. Rio said that he has also, in his own capacity, reported to the Governor of Nagaland also the ‘party high command in Delhi’. In this regard, he strongly reiterated that the Congress should not single out Imkong L Imchen and attack him personally since he simply did his duties as the campaign director during the 26th Aonglenden A/C by-election.
Nonetheless, Rio congratulated the people of Aonglenden for electing the NPF candidate Toshipokba Longkumer and assured that the government will work for the people of Aonglenden through the newly elected MLA. He also acknowledged the administration, police, army and paramilitary forces for the “peaceful, free and fair” by elections, despite the widespread speculations of violence before the by-elections. However, he said that the main credit goes to the people of Aonglenden who chose to exercise their “rights”. In democracy, right is might, he asserted.
Meanwhile, the chief minister promised a slew of developmental activities for the Aonglenden constituency, especially the Ungma village. He promised to build a Ao Naga Customary Court building at Ungma, revive the Sericulture farm at Ungma, a rural self-employment institute at Ungma. Responding to a memorandum asking for a mini stadium at Bapu Tsupo (ground) at Ungma, Rio promised that he will personally build it in the name of the Ungma-Touphema friendship, and said that he wants to celebrate Moatsu festival next year at the completed stadium. He also promised to construct the road leading to Kupza village and the Agri-link road at Settsu village. About a tourist resort to be established between Ungma and Kupza village, purportedly put up the new MLA Toshipokba, Rio simply asked the villagers to donate land, and ‘we will do it’.
This is the first visit of the chief minister to Mokokchung after the much hyped by-election, and with less than two years to go for the assembly elections to be held in 2013, surely this won’t be his last visit too. He was accompanied by the Home Minister and other DAN ministers, parliamentary secretaries and MLAs.
Standing by the Home Minister at a programme at Longkhum on Wednesday, Rio articulated that the Congress party should respect the mandate of the people in the May 7 by-election where NPF candidate Toshipokba Longkumer was elected. He said that the elections are over and blasted the Congress for singling out Imkong L Imchen and attacking him personally, which has been widely reported in the local media. It must be pointed out that a paper war had been going on between the NPCC and the Home Minister (the NPF party has naturally been dragged in too) in the aftermath of the May 7, 2011 by-election.
Saying that Imchen was the campaign director in the last by-election, Rio said the election was a fight between political parties and between party ideologies and said that the Congress should not attack only the Home Minister. The chief minister said that the election was a party issue and the NPF party was behind the home minister. “It is party…and we all stand by him (Imkong L Imchen)”, the Chief Minister declared.
Later on the same day at Ungma at a civic reception, Rio repeated the same words. He added that the Home Minister had personally replied to the Congress accusations, so did the NPF party. Rio said that he has also, in his own capacity, reported to the Governor of Nagaland also the ‘party high command in Delhi’. In this regard, he strongly reiterated that the Congress should not single out Imkong L Imchen and attack him personally since he simply did his duties as the campaign director during the 26th Aonglenden A/C by-election.
Nonetheless, Rio congratulated the people of Aonglenden for electing the NPF candidate Toshipokba Longkumer and assured that the government will work for the people of Aonglenden through the newly elected MLA. He also acknowledged the administration, police, army and paramilitary forces for the “peaceful, free and fair” by elections, despite the widespread speculations of violence before the by-elections. However, he said that the main credit goes to the people of Aonglenden who chose to exercise their “rights”. In democracy, right is might, he asserted.
Meanwhile, the chief minister promised a slew of developmental activities for the Aonglenden constituency, especially the Ungma village. He promised to build a Ao Naga Customary Court building at Ungma, revive the Sericulture farm at Ungma, a rural self-employment institute at Ungma. Responding to a memorandum asking for a mini stadium at Bapu Tsupo (ground) at Ungma, Rio promised that he will personally build it in the name of the Ungma-Touphema friendship, and said that he wants to celebrate Moatsu festival next year at the completed stadium. He also promised to construct the road leading to Kupza village and the Agri-link road at Settsu village. About a tourist resort to be established between Ungma and Kupza village, purportedly put up the new MLA Toshipokba, Rio simply asked the villagers to donate land, and ‘we will do it’.
This is the first visit of the chief minister to Mokokchung after the much hyped by-election, and with less than two years to go for the assembly elections to be held in 2013, surely this won’t be his last visit too. He was accompanied by the Home Minister and other DAN ministers, parliamentary secretaries and MLAs.
