Senior INC leaders to visit state on January 10
Morung Express News
Kohima | January 7
As the election draws nearer, a host of senior leaders from the Indian National Congress party would be visiting the state on January 10 at Dimapur.
This was announced by AICC secretary in-charge Nagaland, Ranajit Mukherjee at a press conference held this afternoon at Congress Bhawan, Kohima.
He informed that delegation, which includes AICC senior observer for Nagaland elections, Mukhul Vasnik, AICC in-charge, Ajay Kumar and other senior leaders who will be assisting and supervising PCC leadership of Nagaland will be arriving in Dimapur.
Terming their visit as 'monumental and significant' to the party, Mukherjee said this will give a huge boost and enthusiasm to the party, and all its workers and supporters across the state.
During the visit, a daylong conference at Dimapur will be held where the screening committee and the observers will be interacting with, and speak to all office bearers of the districts.
“This is the day we will start the process of election with feedbacks from the state leaders,” Mukherjee told media persons.
He appreciated Congress president for deputing such a senior team to supervise and aid the PCC president K Therie and his team in conducting the election for ‘our’ victory.
He informed that the screening committee constituted by the INC president Mallikarjun Kharge on December 20, which is led by Mohan Prakash, is to cohesively work with PCC president to select the candidates, and sit with the central election authority of the party for the nomination.
Congress, a viable alternative
Claiming that the people Nagaland are looking at Congress to be a ‘viable alternative’, Mukherjee maintained that in order to do that the party has wired the processes i.e. “the intent and seriousness of our leadership with regards to Nagaland elections.”
Alleging total ‘hollowness regime’ of the current Chief Minister of Nagaland under NDPP-BJP ruling alliance, he said “there is extreme unhappiness and anti-incumbency across Nagaland, all tribes and all districts.”
“Everybody ultimately wants the solution, and the Congress party also stands for immediate solution,” Mukherjee maintained. However, he added that if elections are inevitable, the Congress party is absolutely ready.
“The leadership has expressed its confidence in the PCC by sending such a senior team to Nagaland, we, as the only opposition party to the NDPP-BJP will expose both their non-interest and hollowness in actual implementation of solution as well as lack of development for five years,” he added.
“We are sure that the electorates will grant us victory in this election. We are confident that we will have the spot,” stated a confident Mukherjee.
Hoping for a secular alliance
With the party wanting to ensure that the machinations of Hindutva forces (sweeping other states in India today) do not take a backward entry into Nagaland, Mukherjee said, it has floated to other like-minded parties the vision of a secular alliance.
On being asked if extension has been made to the regional party, he, without naming any said “we are open to exploring all who fits the definition of a secular alliance. We hope for a secular alliance, but we are ready to fight elections.”
Further, he responded that there will be division of seats if it has an alliance, if not, the party will take a call on all the 60 seats.
“It will be a mixture of senior leaders and young candidates. There are women candidates in the pipeline too,” responded Mukherjee when enquired about the intending candidates.
Feasible and doable manifesto
On its manifesto for the election, Mukherjee said it had a series of in-house consultations for its manifesto.
“We are hearing the pains of the people of Nagaland from various sectors - industry, eastern Nagaland, jobs etc,” he said, emphasizing that unlike the other national party BJP, “the Congress party doesn’t promise what it cannot deliver.”
“We take the manifesto exercise very seriously. We test every statement whether it is feasible and doable, before we put it down in the manifesto. And after it is in the manifesto, it is the commitment of the party to deliver,” said Mukherjee.
While acknowledging that the Congress may have lost electorally, he claimed that “the Congress exists in the hearts of Congressmen in every district. We have an existing structure that is very much in place in all districts.”
