DIMAPUR, AUGUST 13 (MExN): The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) today reacted to the Nagaland Chief Minister denying any merger deal between the NDPP and BJP after the 2023 assembly election, by stating that “it is difficult to trust” the Chief Minister.
“The assurance to merge with BJP after election is widely discussed. For the reason, seat sharing is said to have been agreed although some BJP ground workers in the state were claiming to contest all 60 seats. It was much each easier proposal to form BJP government in a Christian State and therefore, BJP has agreed in a hurry,” a press release from the NPCC President, K Therie claimed.
He termed it “unusual” to have a seat sharing deal signed by the General Secretary, NDPP, and Nalin Kohli, National Spokesperson BJP & I/C Nagaland, ignoring the President NDPP, state BJP President and the Leader of BJP in the State Assembly - that too, 7 months before election.
“Seat sharings if any are usually done after the announcement of election. Nagaland BJP Unit President welcomed seat sharing. After a few days, President NDPP called it historic, maybe because he was not consulted. Leader of BJP in the Assembly, Deputy Chief Minister expressed he was not consulted. However, next day he welcomed the deal,” the Congress President pointed out.
He said that a seat sharing deal cannot be attributed to implementation of political solution. “Seat sharing has killed the aspirations of the people for settlement,” he claimed.
According to the NPCC President, AK Mishra, the Government of India’s representative has himself said he cannot change the concluded talks. “We also understand the compulsions of the NSCN (IM). If there is any sincerity and commitment, the Parliamentary Committee and the entire 60 MLA strong delegation should present the July 16, 2022 Parliamentary Committee meeting’s resolution to the Prime Minster and Union Home Minister and express the aspirations of the people,” Therie advised. If need be, invite the Chief Ministers of Manipur and Arunachal for settlement, he suggested.
Further, he said that if there was any seriousness, the Union Home Minister should not have announced that all the political problems of the North East will be resolved after 2024. “However, the only outcome of the meeting with the Union Home Minister is seat sharing. Neither development activities nor political solution were mentioned,” he claimed.
The NPCC President further said to the government: “Do not beat around the bush anymore. It is time for our age to be honest to the people.”
