Mon, May 19 (MExN): Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to give privilege to the Eastern Nagas, which the PM had made during the last general election campaign rally in Tuensang. Keeping in mind the PM’s assurances, Rio appealed to the people to give their valuable mandate to the People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) candidate in the ensuing Lok Sabha bye-poll so that he will represent them at the Centre. He also assured that the PDA government will uplift the Eastern Naga area.
According to a press release issued by the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) media cell, Rio stated this while addressing a gathering at the Council Hall, Mon Town on Saturday.
Rio said the sentiments of Nagas have been hurt so much because of the NPF leadership’s “greed and selfishness,” which he added were the main cause of the instability and unreliability of their governments. Informing that the Democratic Party was formed in 1963 with the crowing Cock as the party symbol, he said it was only in 1969 that Dr. Shürhozelie entered politics during the time of the UDF and therefore he is not the founder of the regional party.
Rio reminded the gathering that the NPF president had earlier contested the 1999 Lok Sabha election much against the wishes of his then colleagues as an independent candidate with bus as his election symbol by ditching the erstwhile NPC after getting it derecognised under his presidentship. He urged upon the people not to be misled by the NPF’s propaganda but to know the truth about the genesis and history of the party.
PDA consensus candidate for the ensuing bye-polls to the Lok Sabha, Tokheho Yepthomi pointed out the double standard nature of the NPF stating that although NPF is still part and parcel of the BJP Government in Manipur, in Nagaland they have been portraying BJP as communal and anti-Christian in their speeches and statements.
State BJP President, Visasolie Lhoungu in his address said that voting for the NPF candidate, C Apok Jamir will be a loss for the Naga people since he will be in the opposition benches even if he goes to Parliament and won’t be of much help in representing the people at the Centre. He added that the PDA candidate Tokheho Yepthomi is an experienced, time-tested leader who knows the system of governance well while Apok was always spoon-fed. Countering NPF’s rants about the BJP being anti-Christian, he questioned the NPF whether they (NPF) were Hindus for the last 15 years when BJP and NPF were allies. Supporting his statement, he said Nagas will remain Christians no matter what.
On the leader of the opposition, TR Zeliang’s statement that the “PDA days are numbered”, NDPP president Chingwang Konyak challenged whether NPF will be able to safeguard and have all their MLAs secured with them. He also said NPF should talk politics and not religion.
